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Published:
2025-06-11
Updated:
2025-07-16
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25,604
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5/?
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The Debutante

Summary:

Chuuya Nakahara is coming of age. It's time for his debut! After the disastrous events of the cotillion, Chuuya needs to redeem his family's name, and find a husband in the process. However, drama is on the horizon- an old flame with deadly intentions threatens to break everything apart. Trouble is on the horizon and it's only just begun.

Chapter 1: Expectations

Chapter Text

Chuuya stood in front of his mirror and sighed. After months of etiquette training, dancing lessons, and months of planning, it was finally about to be ball season. Tomorrow was the dress rehearsal for the White Ball, and Chuuya needed to be ready. His mother, Kouyou, had been stressed out. She’d been insistent on having him wear white for the event- as it was ‘traditional’ for debs to wear the color. Chuuya hated it- white washed him out and made him look an interesting shade of pink. However, his mother wouldn’t be swayed- much to Chuuya’s chagrin.

Tonight, Chuuya was wearing his red silk pajamas. Red was a much better color on him- it matched his scarlet hair and made his sapphire eyes pop. He walked over to his vanity, and looked at the jewelry on it. Normally, Chuuya liked to be flashy. He liked wearing several gold chains around his wrists and neck- especially with lots of sapphires and diamonds. For the ball, however, his mother had insisted on a small, simple gold chain with a teardrop shaped sapphire. It was small, and elegant- like him, according to his mother. He’d bristled at the ‘small’ remark, but he wasn’t going to argue with her. It just wasn’t worth it.

Chuuya looked over at the clock on the wall. It read 1:25. Fuck, he’d stayed up too late again. Now his mother would fuss over ‘dark circles’ under his eyes. Great. Chuuya stretched, and climbed into bed. He hoped he’d be able to sleep, his insomnia had been kicking his ass lately. It was useful for school, but it was hell when it came to this ‘high society’ crap. He had to be in tip-top shape in order to look presentable to his parent’s important friends. He needed to make their family look good, and he needed to use this as a way to network and find a husband.

Normally, when he couldn’t sleep he’d go outside and lie on the grass. He liked looking at the stars above, and trying to identify the different constellations. He was grateful that their mansion was away from the city, making the sky free from light pollution. There had been times that he’d fallen asleep outside, the night sky watching over him the way a mother watches over a sleeping baby. His mother would chastise him for it, but never actually tried to stop him. However, Chuuya didn’t want to risk oversleeping. Tomorrow and Saturday were far too important.

Chuuya stared up at the wall, wishing he could flip a switch and turn his brain off. His stomach was in knots. What if he slipped and fell? What if he got sick in front of everyone? He would never forgive himself if he embarrassed his parents after everything they’d done for him. They had to go through the arduous process of recommending him for the ball in the first place, as well as all the money they’d spent to prepare him for it. He didn’t know how much they’d spent- which added another layer of guilt. He couldn’t let all their hard work be for nothing.

Chuuya tossed and turned all night. He felt like he nodded off for a minute, but the next thing he knew, his alarm clock was screaming at him. Chuuya groaned, and rubbed his eyes. Fuck, he felt like he didn’t sleep at all. His body felt like it was made of lead.

Come on, Chuuya, get up. He thought

He didn’t move.

Come on. Let’s go.

He still didn’t move.

Get up, get up, GET UP!

With herculean strength, Chuuya scraped himself out of bed. He stumbled over to his bathroom, and shut the door. He looked awful. His under eye bags might as well be part of his personality at this point. He washed his face, and scrubbed hard. He didn’t need a breakout today, of all days. He put moisturiser on his face, sighing softly at the relief it brought. He pulled out the eye cream his mom gave him, and put a generous amount under his eyes. Hopefully it would help before he had to go to the dress rehearsal tonight. Chuuya brushed his teeth and put deodorant on- he didn’t want to stink. Satisfied, Chuuya left his bathroom and went downstairs.

His mother was sitting at the table, her brows furrowed in concentration. She was reading the newspaper as she sipped her tea. She looked up at Chuuya as he entered the room, and she smiled at him.

“Good morning, Chuuya. How did you sleep?” she asked.

Chuuya sat down heavily.

“Badly. I feel like I haven’t slept at all.” said Chuuya.

“I’m sorry to hear that. It must be nerves. We have some coffee made, and Kajii made scrambled eggs and bacon. Please go get some.” his mom smiled at him.

Chuuya stood back up, and went into the kitchen. There was a steaming plate of eggs and bacon waiting for him. There was also a fresh pot of coffee ready. What made things even better was that the lemon fucker was nowhere to be seen. Out of all the cooks the family had over the years- Kajii was definitely the most annoying. However, he was also a hell of a cook, so he couldn’t complain too much. Kajii made the best lemon desserts in the world- lemon tarts, lemon scones, lemon meringue pie, and many others.

However, Chuuya thought he was creepy. Kajii was a death- obsessed fucker. He would go on and on about how death was the most beautiful thing in the world. He said death was the pinnacle of science, and that it was the best thing that could happen to someone. Chuuya thought that it made him sound like a serial killer.

Chuuya poured himself a cup of black coffee, and grabbed the plate. He went back to the table to sit with his mother. Chuuya sat down, and began to eat. It was delicious, and he took his time eating. Food should always be enjoyed. He sipped his coffee and immediately felt better. Good, maybe he’d be lucid enough for the dress rehearsal tonight.

“Where’s dad?” he asked, taking another sip of his coffee.

“He’s meeting with Hirotsu. You know how he is- he’ll talk your ear off if you let him. He should be home soon.” said Kouyuo.

Even though Arthur was his step dad, Chuuya had always seen him as his real dad. His biological father died in a car accident when Chuuya was only five months old. Chuuya’s last name-Nakahara- was one of the only things he’d left Chuuya. That, and the trust fund that he’d left Chuuya for when he turned 18. Chuuya was turning 18 at the end of April, and he couldn’t wait. He was ready to have his own money, and could make his own decisions.

“After breakfast, we need to start getting ready to head to Yokohama. It’s about an hour’s drive away. Make sure you have everything you need. I don’t have to tell you how important these next two days will be for you.” she said.

“I know, mom. I promise I won’t let you down.” said Chuuya.

“Good, let’s not have a repeat of your cotillion.” she said, a slight edge to her voice.

Chuuya’s heart sank. He’d never been able to live down the utter disaster that had been his cotillion when he’d been 13. His parent’s social standing had taken a hit, and it had been a source of utter shame for him. Chuuya was determined to make things right, and make up for that fiasco. He’d put his debutante ball off for a year in order to help distance the time between events.

“I promise that tomorrow night will be one of the best nights of my life. I’ll be on my best behavior, and make you both proud.” said Chuuya.

Kouyou stared at her son for a minute, then smiled slightly.

“I have faith in you, Chuuya.” she said.

Chuuya finished his coffee and food. He stood up, and went back into the kitchen. He put his plate and utensils in the sink. He refilled his coffee cup, and went back to the table. He sat down just as he heard the garage door.

“Sounds like your dad is home.” said Kouyou.

A few minutes later, his dad and Hirotsu came into the dining room. Hirotsu was a no nonsense older man who’d been a family friend since before Chuuya had been born. He wore a long black coat with a long brown scarf. He wore white gloves and a white shirt with a black bowtie. He wore shiny leather loafers and black dress pants. He had greying hair and a greying mustache and goatee. He always had a stern expression on his face.

“Hey dad, Hirotsu.” said Chuuya.

“Good, you’re up. Are you all packed?” asked Arthur.

“Yes, sir. I just need to get dressed and I’ll be ready to go.” said Chuuya.

“Good. Is there any coffee left?” he asked

“Yes, sir.” said Chuuya.

Hirotsu and his dad went into the kitchen. Chuuya finished his coffee and sighed. He supposed it was time to get his luggage from upstairs. Chuuya left the mug on the table and went upstairs. He gathered his jewelry and put it in his suitcase. Chuuya chose a black X Japan shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans. Chuuya put his leather collar on, and struck a pose. He looked good!

Chuuya opened the suitcase to double check that he had everything. He had his white porkpie hat in a box, the white dress shoes, socks, underwear, toiletries, his white gloves, a pair of swim trunks, some makeup, some black silk pajamas, a pair of black slippers, and some white stockings. Perfect- he had everything! They were picking up his white dress once they arrived in Yokohama. He zipped the suitcase up, and walked downstairs.

He put the suitcase next to the door to the garage, and went back to the dining room. Arthur, Hirotsu, and Kouyou were laughing together. Arthur and Hirotsu were chatting about data analytics, but ended the conversation abruptly as Chuuya walked in.

“I’m all set.” said Chuuya.

“Good. Chuuya, come outside with me for a minute. I want to talk to you.” said Hirotsu, grabbing his coffee cup.

Chuuya’s heart sank. This couldn’t be good.

Chuuya followed Hirotsu outside on the deck. Hirotsu and Chuuya sat down at the table, and pulled his silver cigarette case out. He lit up one of his cigarettes, and took a deep drag. He exhaled away from Chuuya, and took a sip of his coffee.

“There’s nothing in this world that’s better than a cigarette with coffee,” said Hirotsu.

“I wouldn’t know. I don’t smoke.” said Chuuya.

“Good, don’t start.” said Hirostu, “Chuuya, I don’t have to tell you how important these next two days are. The next two days are going to set the tone for your place in the social scene for the rest of your life. As your escort, I felt the need to tell you some things. For starters, I need you to promise me you’ll present your best self at the ball.”

“I promise, Hirotsu,” said Chuuya.

“Good, I will hold you to that. Please keep in mind that you need to make a good impression on the other families. Try to find people from good families to network and befriend. What was it you were planning to study at university?” asked Hirotsu.

“I was planning to study law. Dad said it would be good for me.” said Chuuya.

“Is that what you really want?” asked Hirotsu.

Chuuya was quiet for a minute. After the events of the cotillion, Chuuya had spent his time trying to do right by his parents. He stayed on top of his studies, and threw himself into extracurriculars. He spent time in the school’s chess club, in the math club, and had been in the debate club for one year. Unfortunately, he got kicked out due to having a fistfight with someone from another school. He took up kickboxing in order to help deal with his anger issues.

He would take advanced placement classes in addition to his regular classes in order to set himself up with college credits. When his father told him that he should go to law school, he’d just accepted it and started looking into different law schools. It seemed like his best bet to make the family look good.

“It’s what’s best for the family.” Chuuya said, finally.

Hirotsu was quiet for a moment. He took a couple drags off his cigarette, and exhaled through his nose. He’d always been a quiet man, so when he spoke his words held weight.

“Chuuya, you don’t have to throw your interests away just to make your parents happy. You should live your life for yourself.” said Hirotsu.

“I know, Hirotsu. Right now, I’m just focused on graduating high school and getting my trust fund.” said Chuuya, “I also need to get through this ball season. I know just how important the next two days are going to be.”

Hirotsu nodded at that, “I’m glad to hear that. Remember: first impressions are important, and second chances are rare. You should be glad that the incident from a few years ago didn’t damage your reputation permanently. You will be expected to appear at all the major events this year, and make sure that you’re leaving a good impression of your family. You’re not just representing yourself, you are representing your parents- your living and dead ones.”

Chuuya’s stomach twisted. He didn’t think about his biological father very much- hell, sometimes he even forgot that Arthur wasn’t his biological father. However, he knew that many of the people in their circles did remember him. Chuuya needed to preserve his father’s legacy, no matter what.

“Chuuya, Hirotsu! We’re about to leave!” Kouyou called.

Hirotsu snuffed his cigarette.

“Come along, Chuuya. Let’s not keep your mother waiting. Oh, and one more thing.”

“What’s that, Hirotsu?” Chuuya asked.

“Please, no fighting,” said Hirotsu.

Chuuya bowed his head, ashamed.

“I promise, Hirotsu.” said Chuuya, glumly.

“Good, now let’s head out.”

Chuuya followed Hirotsu into the house. He stuffed his feelings of guilt and shame deep down. These next two days were going to be good. He just had to make it that way.

Just as long as a certain someone wasn’t there.

Chapter 2: Gotta Get It Right

Summary:

Chuuya and his family arrive in Yokohama. Things are going smoothly- hopefully no one ruins it!

Notes:

I didn't expect this chapter to be over 5k words, but that's okay! I hope y'all enjoy!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Chuuya was able to get some sleep on the car ride to Yokohama. When he awoke, they were driving over the Tokyo bay. Chuuya rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the daylight. He looked to his left and saw Hirotsu scrolling through his phone. Hirotsu looked over at him.

“Ah, you’re awake. We’re almost there.” said Hirotsu.

Kouyou looked behind her seat, and smiled at her son.

“I’m glad you were able to get some rest, Chuuya. We’re going to stop by the tailor before checking into the hotel. I want to get to the tailor before traffic gets bad." She said, “I’m looking forward to seeing how it turned out.”

Chuuya nodded. He was looking forward to it, too. They’d had to book the tailor a year in advance to beat the other debutantes to the punch. Chuuya had the pick of the litter- and was ready to show off in front of the others. He hoped that he would stand out among the others, and catch the right person’s eye.

“We’re here,” said Arthur.

They pulled into a parking lot in front of a fancy-looking boutique. There was a wedding dress in the window. The dress was a form fitting dress with no straps, with a lacy white veil on the mannequin’s head. Chuuya thought it looked basic- whenever he got married, he’d wear something that stood out. He followed Kouyou into the boutique, smiling at the woman at the front desk. She had long black hair and a beauty mark under her left eye. Her name tag read “Naomi.”

“Hello, my son and I are here to pick up his dress.” said Kouyou.

“Excellent, what’s the name?” asked Naomi

“It’s under Chuuya Nakahara.” she replied.

Naomi stood up, and went into the back room. Chuuya looked around the store. There were dresses of all styles and colors hung up on racks all around the store. There was a dress on a mannequin that caught Chuuya’s eye. It was a wine red strapless dress with a slit up the left side. It had black lace embroidery snaking up the length of it, with a little diamond at the center of the neckline.

“Mom, that’s my wedding dress.” Chuuya said, pointing at it.

Kouyou smiled, and laughed a little.

“It’s very beautiful, Chuuya. Let’s get through the ball first though, okay?” she said, teasingly.

Chuuya blushed slightly. His mom was right, but he could dream! Naomi came back, holding the dress carefully. She handed it to Kouyou, who smiled at her. She pulled her credit card out, and paid for the dress.

“I’m glad you came here now- it’s going to get very busy here after lunch!” said Naomi jokingly.

“I can only imagine. I hope it’s not too crazy for you today.” said Kouyou.

“It’ll be fine- I’m excited for everyone to get their dresses! I hope you all have fun at the event!” Naomi beamed.

Chuuya and Kouyou returned to the car, dress in hand. They entered the car, and then they drove off.

“Is everything in order?” asked Arthur.

“Yes, thankfully we got there before it got busy,” said Kouyou.

“Good, I’m glad to hear it.” said Arthur.

“Hey mom, have you heard from Paul?” asked Chuuya, “Is he going to be able to come tomorrow?”

“I’m sorry, Chuuya, but he’s stuck in France right now. He’s been stuck in negotiations with the Order of the Clocktower. You know how British people are, they’re always so difficult.” said Kouyou.

Chuuya’s face fell. He’d really been hoping that his brother would be able to make it. He supposed it couldn’t be helped- those business meetings always seemed to take a lot out of Paul. You’d never be able to tell, but Paul really hated dealing with people. Why he chose to go to business school was something Chuuya still didn’t understand.

“We’re here,” said Arthur.

They pulled into the valet area. They got out and grabbed their luggage. Arthur handed the keys to a skinny kid with white hair. The valet drove away with their car, and they headed inside. The hotel was gorgeous. While Arthur checked in, Chuuya looked around the area. There was a bar with large windows behind it, showing off the skyline of Yokohama. The chairs were large and cozy- looking. There were beautiful glass sculptures arranged around the hallway, delicate and perfect.

There was a seating area that had all kinds of plants in it. In the middle was a large, leafy plant in a fancy planter. The entire hotel had large windows to allow light in, and to give the guests a view of the city. Chuuya marveled at it- the planners of the ball had chosen the perfect place for it.

“Here you go, Chuuya,” said Arthur.

Chuuya turned around, and his dad handed him his room key. Chuuya was grateful that he was getting a room all to himself.

“You’ll be in room 2383.” said Arthur, “Come on, let’s go.”

Hirotsu had taken the initiative to grab a trolley for their luggage. They piled their luggage onto it, and went to the elevator. They stood for a minute, and then they heard a voice call them.

“Kouyou! Arthur!”

They turned to see four people approaching them. The father was a tall man with greying hair. He always had a stern look on his face. He was wearing traditional Japanese clothing. He wore a green kimono with a black coat with gold trim. His daughter wore a red kimono with a gold sash tied around it. Her hair was kept with white flower clips. His older son wore a brown coat and a black shirt. He wore brown capris and long white socks. He was wearing a brown newsboy hat to complete the look. His younger son was wearing a white shirt and black pants. He had an unfortunate haircut.

“Ah, Fukuzawa! It’s lovely to see you!” said Arthur.

“Arthur, Hirotsu, Kouyou. It’s been a while. How have you been?” asked Fukuzawa.

“We have been well! Business has been booming.” said Kouyou cheerfully.

“Good to hear.” said Fukuzawa.

Chuuya felt the older man stare daggers at him. Chuuya gulped- Fukuzawa had been there at the disastrous cotillion. He knew that the older man didn’t like him. Ranpo was munching on a scone, completely enraptured with it. Kyouka was staring off into space. She’d always been a bit of a space cadet.

“Hey Chuuya,” said Atsushi.

“Hey dude. It’s good to see you. So you’re debuting this year, too?” asked Chuuya.

“Yeah, I figured I’d go ahead and get it taken care of as soon as I could,” said Atsushi.

The elevator dinged, and everyone stepped inside.

“So, Fukuzawa, is Kyouka having her cotillion this year?” asked Hirotsu.

“Yes, hopefully it goes on without incident.” said Fukuzawa, glaring at Chuuya, “I hope to see you there.”

There was a pause.

“I’m looking forward to it.” said Kyouka.

“That’s wonderful, sweetheart. I’m sure it will be a great time.” said Arthur.

“The cotillion always has the best snacks!” piped up Ranpo.

The elevator dinged, and the Fukuzawa family departed. A few minutes later, they arrived on their floor. Chuuya grabbed his suitcase and dress, and went into his room. The room was beautiful. It was spacious, with a queen sized bed. Chuuya hung his dress in the closet, and flopped onto the bed. Damn, it was perfect. It was just the right amount of soft and firm. Chuuya sighed contentedly. He could fall asleep right here, right now. With a groan, Chuuya peeled himself out of bed. He needed to try the dress on!

Chuuya went over to the closet, and got the dress out of the dress cover, and held it up. God, it was so beautiful. He laid it down on the bed carefully, and stripped. He carefully unzipped it, and put it on. Chuuya walked over to the floor length mirror, and admired himself.

It was a white off the shoulder dress with a slit up the left side. It hugged his body in all the right ways- it made his ass look good. Best of all, it had pockets! He opened up the suitcase and pulled out the hat box. It had been a gift from Paul, and he was going to wear it no matter what! Chuuya quickly texted his mom to come to the room.

Kouyou knocked on the door, and Chuuya let her in. Kouyou gasped at the sight of her beautiful son. There were tears forming in her eyes.

“You look so beautiful, Chuuya.” she breathed.

She pulled him into a hug. She pulled away, and eyed the hat.

“Are you really wearing that hat?” she asked.

“Mom, Paul gave it to me! It’s like part of him is here with me!” Chuuya protested.

Kouyou sighed at her son. She couldn’t argue with that.

“Come on! Let’s show your dad and Hirotsu.” said Kouyou.

She took Chuuya’s hand and dragged him to the room where Arthur and Hirotsu were in. They were standing around talking, and stopped when they saw Chuuya. Arthur lit up when he saw his son.

“Chuuya, you look lovely.” he said, pulling his son into a hug.

“Thank you, dad.” he said.

“It seems like it was only yesterday when you were small and playing in the mud. One time you brought a snake in, and your mother just about passed out! You’re lucky your father was able to chase it out!” said Hirotsu, all choked up.

The adults all laughed as Chuuya’s face turned ruby red. He stuttered a little bit, trying to hide beneath his hat. Chuuya pulled away from his dad, and adjusted his hat.

“I better start actually getting ready. I don’t want to show up to the dress rehearsal all scruffy.” said Chuuya.

“Sounds good, son. Come back here when you’re all ready.” said Arthur.

Chuuya returned to his room and carefully took his dress off. He laid it out on his bed lovingly. He was so excited. Chuuya walked into the bathroom, and looked around. The bathroom had the mirror attached to the window. Thankfully the blinds were down! The city of Yokohama didn’t deserve to see his dick. There was a basket of toiletries on the left side of the counter (he would have to stuff them all in his suitcase.) The shower was made of grey stone, and it had a removable shower head. Chuuya grinned and started the hot water.

Chuuya washed his hair and put conditioner in it. He scrubbed the rest of his body, and then shaved his legs. He enjoyed the smooth feeling of having shaven legs- it made them feel like baby dolphins! Chuuya rinsed his hair, and stopped the water. He wrapped his hair in a towel, and sighed contentedly. He hummed “I Feel Good”by James Brown, and exited the bathroom. He dug through his suitcase, and pulled out his heat protectant for his hair. He also grabbed his sandalwood scented lotion.

Chuuya returned to the bathroom, and fired up the blow dryer. He spritzed his hair with the heat protectant, and worked the blow dryer in sections through his hair. He loved his thick hair, but blow drying was such a fucking pain. His mom was half French, and he definitely inherited those genes. He’d always been told that he was pretty like a doll. Right now, he kinda felt like a dress-up doll.

Finally, Chuuya was done with his hair. He tied his hair in a loose ponytail, and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn’t really need to do too much with it. Chuuya then put a generous amount of moisturizer on his legs- he didn’t want to be ashy. He went back out and dug the rest of his toiletries out of his bag. Chuuya grabbed his makeup bag, and started applying it. He wasn’t doing anything too crazy tonight- it was an all natural look with limited blush and no highlighter. He chose neutral colors and a small line of eyeliner. He had nice eyelashes, and mascara made him look weird in contrast with his eyebrows. Kouyou said she didn’t want him to look like a ‘cheap hooker.’ He sprayed his face with setting spray, and fanned himself to get it to dry.

He went back out to the room, and put on underwear and white stockings. He put the dress back on, and put the hat on. He put his flats on, and grabbed the heels he’d be changing into later. He’d need to hand them to Hirotsu. Tonight, they would run the introductions-including the shoe ceremony, and the choreographed waltz. Hopefully they’d be done by dinner- no one wanted to dance while hungry. (No one wanted to deal with a hangry Chuuya.)

Chuuya admired himself in the mirror. He looked great! He was sure he’d find a husband in no time! He grabbed his sapphire studs, and the sapphire necklace. He loved the way the sapphires matched his eyes. He then donned the long white gloves, and struck a pose. Perfect! He was ready. He took his phone out and took a few selfies. He’d post them to Instagram later. He put his phone in his pocket, put the heels in a white shoe bag, and went back to his parent’s room.

Hirotsu left his room, and almost collided with Chuuya.

“Ah! Sorry Hirotsu!” Chuuya yelped.

“Pardon me, Chuuya! I wasn’t looking where I was going.” said Hirotsu.

“I have the shoes here,” said Chuuya.

Hirotsu took the bag from Chuuya. He smiled at Chuuya.

“Thank you, Chuuya. Let’s go see your parents.” he said.

The two of them went to his parent’s room, and knocked. Kouyou answered, looking lovely in her fancy kimono. It was silver with a white spider lily embroidered on it. His mom wore a white gold necklace with a circular princess cut diamond. She wore a silver rolex with a circle of white diamonds around it. She wore diamond stud earrings that glittered in the light.

“Oh, Chuuya, you look radiant.” said Kouyou, tearing up again.

“Mom, don’t cry! You’ll ruin your makeup!” said Chuuya.

Kouyou sighed at her son’s comment. She patted him on the shoulder and called Arthur.

“Arthur, are you ready?”

“Yes, dear.” said Arthur.

Arthur wore a black suit with a bowtie. He wore a black suit jacket- his dad was anemic, making him feel cold all the time. Kouyou made him take iron pills, but they didn’t help much. He smiled at his son, eyes gleaming with pride.

“Let’s go.” he said.

The group made their way to the elevator. They reached the first floor, and made their way to the ballroom. There were other ladies walking around in their white dresses. Most of them looked nice, but none of them were as lovely as Chuuya. He could feel the stares of the other Debutantes as he and his family walked by. Chuuya stifled a smirk; it felt good to be the center of attention.

The ballroom for the dress rehearsal was smaller than the main ballroom, but it was still beautiful. The carpet was maroon with fleur de lis patterns all over it. There were crystal chandeliers shimmering above them. There was a table with a water cooler and paper cups in the corner. There was a black curtain set up for the debutantes and their escorts to stand behind.

“Step lively now! Let’s not get behind schedule! Line up in alphabetical order by last names! Come on, now!” shouted a man.

Doppo Kunikida was known for being the best event planner in all of Yokohama. He was known for being high-strung, but he got results. He seemed like he had an extreme case of OCD, but Chuuya wasn’t a medical professional. Kunikida wore a black dress shirt with a tan vest with matching pants. He had rectangular glasses, and a scowl on his face.

“Let’s get in line, Chuuya.” said Hirotsu.

Chuuya followed Hirotsu to where the line had formed. They found their place in line, and soon Atsushi stood in line behind them. Atsushi wore a sleeveless white dress that had a small train. The back of the dress had a large bow and a diamond chain attached to it. His white gloves had a little lace trim on them. He had a simple diamond headband that kept his atrocious bangs out of his eyes. He wore a long diamond necklace and had dangly diamond earrings to match. Chuuya froze at the sight of his escort. His stomach dropped through the floor.

“Well, hello there, Chuuya.” said Mori, “It’s certainly been a while, hasn’t it.”

Ougai Mori stood there, with a chilling smile on his face. His violet eyes glimmered with malice, putting his hand on Atsushi’s shoulder, causing the young man to shiver. Mori wore a black suit with a white shirt and black gloves. He was a well-respected surgeon, but was known for being cold and calculated. His eyes had a soulless quality that creeped a lot of people out.

Chuuya gulped.

“Ah, h-hello, Mori.” Chuuya stammered.

“My, my. So you’re doing your debut this year, eh? How touching. Were you perhaps trying to put some distance between now and your cotillion?” asked Mori.

Chuuya went red in the face. Mori had been at the disastrous cotillion, like many of the other people here tonight. He hadn’t forgotten the expression of pure malice that had been on Mori’s face at the cotillion. He had a crazed, almost manic look in his wide eyes and a wicked smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Mori had looked like a monster, absolutely radiating malice. The thought of it still sent shivers down Chuuya’s spine.

“As it happens, my daughter Gin is also having her debut this year. Miss Louisa Alcott is her escort.” he nodded in her direction.

Gin looked lovely as always. Her long black hair was put in a nice updo on top of her head. She wore a simple form-fitting white gown with some sequins attached to it. She wore a little diamond hair comb on the front of her head. She’d always been shy and seemed nervous. Louisa smiled at her gently, and was saying something to her. Gin looked a little more relaxed.

“I trust that you’ll be on your best behavior tomorrow, correct? Let’s not have a repeat of your cotillion.” said Mori.

“Y-yes sir, I promise that tomorrow will be a good time.” Chuuya stuttered.

Chuuya felt Mori’s eyes boring into him. Mori had a way of commanding authority in subtle ways. He commanded quiet authority, and held himself with quiet intensity. He had a way of pinning you down with the intensity of his stare. It was like a rabbit freezing in the sight of a wolf- holding you hostage until he stuck. He didn’t need to raise his voice, all he had to do was create an uncomfortable silence. When he spoke, his words carried weight.

“Good, I’m so glad I won’t have to pay for any damages to the venue. I’m glad to hear that the Nakahara boy isn’t the powder keg that he’s proven that he can be. I’m glad that Arthur and Kouyou won’t be embarrassed again.” said Mori venomously.

“Mori, that’s enough. You need to focus on your debutante.” said Hirotsu.

“I’m just making sure everything goes smoothly, Hirotsu.” purred Mori.

The names started being called, and the line began to move. Once Chuuya and Hirotsu were called, they stepped out and smiled at everyone. Chuuya’s heart was thudding in his chest, a feeling of nervousness creeping up on him. Was everyone expecting him to lash out? Is that why everyone was looking at him? He stifled the feeling down, trying to focus on the present moment.

After everyone was called, the shoe ceremony began. Each pair of debutantes and escorts made their way to the center of the ballroom. One by one, their shoes were changed from flats to heels-symbolizing their ‘step’ into adulthood. Chuuya was glad he listened to his mother and got comfortable, versatile heels. Some of the other debutantes clearly didn’t practice walking in their shoes. Chuuya scoffed at them- that could never be him!

Once everyone had gotten into their new shoes, it was time to begin the waltz. Tomorrow, they would have a real band to play for them, but for now they made do with a speaker. Hirotsu had been a champion ballroom dancer, and led Chuuya through the steps with ease. Chuuya had always liked dancing- it was the best part of any of these balls. After the music had finished, it was time to go.

“Great job, everyone! We got done faster than expected! I expect nothing less than the best from you all tomorrow! You’re dismissed!” shouted Kunikida.

“Well done, Chuuya. Let’s head back upstairs.” said Hirotsu.

“Sounds good to me.” said Chuuya.

They headed back to the elevator, Chuuya smiling the whole time. He felt good- tomorrow was going to be a good day! Once inside the elevator, Chuuya began thinking of his interaction with Mori. He hated how every adult in his life kept reminding him of the cotillion. It was three years ago for chrissakes! People acted as if it was impossible to grow and change in that time! He wasn’t a little kid anymore- and tomorrow he was going to prove it!

“Is something the matter, Chuuya?” asked Hirotsu.

“I’m just sick and tired of being reminded about the cotillion. It’s been three years and people act like it was yesterday! I’m not the same person I was!” Chuuya complained.

“Chuuya, I have the utmost faith in you. Don’t worry about what others think-just be sure that tomorrow goes smoothly, and you’ll have nothing to worry about.” said Hirotsu.

“Thanks, Hirotsu. I think I’m going to go to the pool here in a minute. What time were the dinner reservations again?” Chuuya asked.

“They’re at 8:00, so you have some time. Go and enjoy the pool. If you need me, I’ll be reading in my room.” said Hirotsu.

The elevator dinged, and they got out. Chuuya went to his room, and changed out of his dress. He hung it up carefully, and then went and took his makeup off. Satisfied, he then changed into a white t-shirt and his blue swim trunks. He put his flip flops on, and grabbed a towel. He made sure he had his phone and room key on him, and left the room. He went to the elevator, and then made his way to the pool.

There was an indoor and outdoor pool. Chuuya opted to go into the indoor one because he didn’t have sunscreen. Chuuya was one of those people who could get sunburnt just by going outside to check the mail. Skin cancer is nothing to joke about!

There were underwater chairs and tables so you could do work while chilling in the pool. The large windows allowed the patrons to gaze over Yokohama, taking in the beauty of it. There were doors connecting the outdoor pool area to the indoor pool area, providing free movement between areas. Chuuya set his flip flops, towel, and phone on a seat, and then jumped in. Chuuya audibly groaned in pleasure at the cool water. He didn’t realize just how hot and sweaty he’d been until he’d finally had a chance to cool off.

“Hey Chuuya!” said a voice.

Chuuya turned around to see Atsushi enter the pool area, setting his own stuff down next to his. He was wearing a pair of cute tiger-striped swimming trunks. He jumped into the pool, and resurfaced shaking his head like a puppy drying to dry itself.

“How’s it going, Atsushi?” asked Chuuya cheerfully.

“It’s going well. Man, that Kunikida guy is really high-strung, huh? Working for him would be a nightmare.” said Atsushi.

“Yeah, no kidding! I definitely wouldn’t want to work for him.” said Chuuya.

They swam around a little bit, enjoying the weightless feeling. Chuuya floated on his back, looking up at the ceiling. It felt nice to relax.

“You’re graduating this year, right Chuuya?” asked Atsushi.

“Yeah, I am. It’s coming up quickly!” said Chuuya.

Chuuya couldn’t believe that he only had one semester before graduating high school. It felt surreal. He had enjoyed his winter vacation, and he was grateful that school didn’t start until Wednesday. He was ready to get it over with. Chuuya felt like the second half of senior year was a scam- he wanted to be done with the fools he went to school with. He wanted to get started on college stuff already! Chuuya was bored with high school and wanted to learn stuff that he was actually interested in.

“What are you wanting to study? I’m wanting to get a Zoology degree.” said Atsushi.

“I’m not sure yet.” Chuuya admitted, “My dad wants me to go to law school, but I’m not sure about it. I like physics, they make sense to me. Maybe I could become a physicist and study black holes or something.”

“That sounds really cool! I’ll be honest, I’m pretty bad at physics. It’s my weakest class.” said Atsushi sheepishly.

“I could help you, if you’d like!” said Chuuya.

“Really? That would be great!” said Atsushi.

“Absolutely! Once we get back to school, hit me up! We can figure out a time!” said Chuuya.

“Thank you so much, Chuuya. I really appreciate it.” said Atsushi.

“Anytime, dude. You’d do the same for me.” said Chuuya.

Atsushi nodded in agreement. They swam around a little more, and floated calmly in the water. Chuuya thought about seeing Mori earlier. Poor Atsushi seemed really afraid of him, and Chuuya couldn’t blame him for it. He couldn’t understand why Fukuzawa would have asked him to be Atsushi’s escort- it made absolutely no sense to him.

“How’d you get stuck with Mori as your escort? I thought they hated each other.” asked Chuuya.

“He’s one of my dad’s old business associates. Honestly, he was one of the only people that was free to come to the ball. My dad doesn’t like him very much.” said Atsushi.

“Is it true he had connections to-” Chuuya lowered his voice, “-The mafia?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to know. I just want to stay on his good side and get through this without incident. He’s really scary.” Atsushi shuddered.

Chuuya couldn’t blame him. Ougai Mori was a very intimidating man. He had cold, soulless, malicious eyes that stared into your soul. He was a well-respected surgeon, and had made money off of several patents that he developed. When Mori entered a room, you could just tell that he was there. No one made the kind of money Mori had by being a pushover, that’s for sure. Everything about the man was cold and calculating, like he was always plotting something.

“So Gin is debuting this year, right? What about his son, Akutagawa? Isn’t he debuting this year, too?” asked Chuuya.

At the mention of the skinny emo boy, Atsushi blushed a little.

“Um, y-yeah, he is.” he said nervously.

Chuuya smiled slyly at Atsushi.

“Are you hoping he’ll ask you to dance?” he teased.

“Uh, I-I, I mean, maybe? If he wants to, that is.” stuttered Atsushi.

Chuuya laughed at Atsushi’s nervousness. It was too cute.

“Is there anyone you’re hoping to see, Chuuya?” asked Atsushi.

“Not particularly. There’s only one person I don’t want to see, but I put my debut off for a year so I wouldn’t have to see him.” said Chuuya.

“Oh yeah? Is it that guy from the cotillion?” asked Atsushi.

“Yeah, it is. Were you there?” asked Chuuya.

“No, mine was the year after it happened. I still don’t understand what happened- my dad wouldn’t talk about it.” said Atsushi, “He just said you got in a fight.”

Chuuya blushed at that. The incident at the cotillion was something that was still fresh in people’s minds. Chuuya was still deeply ashamed that he’d let someone rile him up like that. It was something he was going to rectify no matter what.

“Yeah, I did. I still feel bad about it. I promised my family that I’d be on my best behavior and made sure the ball goes smoothly. I’m not going to disappoint them ever again.” Chuuya declared.

“That’s good to hear, Chuuya. I’m sure it’ll be great!” Atsushi beamed.

Just so long as he isn’t here. Thought Chuuya.

*******

*Several Hours Earlier*

Ryuunoske Akutagawa groaned, rubbing his eyes. He hated waking up early, and the fact that his adoptive father, Mori, insisted on arriving at the hotel at 7:00 am was dastardly. Aku needed at least ten hours of sleep, otherwise he wouldn’t be a functionally human being. He sipped on his large caramel creme frappuccino. He needed sweets in order to be nice to people.

Gin pulled her luggage out of the car, having already chugged her black coffee. She was the morning person out of the two of them. He couldn’t understand how she could drink something so bitter- he gagged at the thought of it. He pulled his Behemoth luggage out of the car (he thought Nergal was sexy as fuck), and entered the hotel.

Aku stood around awkwardly as Mori checked in. He just wanted to get up to his room and not talk to anyone for a few hours. He didn’t want to deal with the other debutantes, he didn’t want to be awake, and he didn’t want to deal with him.

Gin walked over to him, holding her dress in her arms.

“Are you excited, Ryuu?” she asked.

“I’m excited to get it over with.” he grumbled, “I would rather be at home, sleeping. It’s too damn early.”

Gin giggled. Her brother had always been a crabby morning person. Even at the orphanage, he’d always walked around like a zombie until noon. Ryuu wasn’t a person until he’d had his coffee and something to eat.

“Aw, don’t be like that! It’ll be fun! Besides, at least dad isn’t focusing on our behavior here. He knows that we’ll stay in our lane and not cause a scene. Besides,” she said mischievously, “I raided dad’s booze cellar. Dad won’t miss one bottle of Grey Goose!”

Aku rolled his eyes, but allowed his lip to quirk into a small smile.

“Well, aren’t you a crafty one?” he said, mischievously.

“Gin, Ryuu, get over here.” said Mori.

The siblings walked over to their adoptive father, and took the room keys from him.

“Thank you, sir.” said Aku.

“Our lunch reservations are at noon sharp. Make sure to look presentable; I won’t have my children looking like ruffians.” said Mori.

“No worries, sir! We’ll be on our best behavior!” Gin beamed.

“It’s not you I’m worried about. Where’s your brother? I need to have a word with him.” said Mori.

Gin and Aku looked around; they hadn’t seen their older brother since they’d stepped out of the car. Maybe he was doing something useful like drowning himself in the pool.

“Let me go look for him.” Aku said dully.

Aku walked through the lobby, looking through the large glass door to the pool. He couldn’t quite tell, but it looked like someone with brown hair was submerged in the water. Aku groaned, and went into the pool area. Looks like he was going to have to fish him out of another pool. Aku jumped into the cool water, and grabbed his stupid brother by the neck of his coat like a cat. He dragged him to the shallow end of the pool, and forced him above the water.

“Ryuuuuuuuuu why did you do this? I wanted to drooooooooooown.” his brother whined.

“Shut up, or I’ll drown you for real!” Aku snapped.

Osamu Dazai looked like a pathetic, wet cat. His wet brown hair was sticking to his face, and his clothes were soggy. His bandages were soaked through, sticking to his brother like a second skin. These pathetic suicide attempts were so fucking annoying. Did he really have to throw himself into every body of water that he saw? It was such a fucking nuisance.

“If I have to be here, then you have to be here.” Aku growled, “Now, you’re going to come with me, and you can explain to dad why you’re soaked to the bone.”

“You’re no fun, Ryuu.” Dazai complained.

Aku dragged his dumbass brother out of the pool and into the hallway. Aku grabbed him by the ear and dragged him back to his dad. Mori stood by the front desk with his arms crossed, staring daggers at Dazai.

“Osamu, did you really have to go and pull one of these stunts? It’s bad enough that you helped ruin your cotillion, and now you’re trying to ruin your debut? How selfish can you be? Take your room key and take a shower. You’re embarrassing me and your siblings.” growled Mori.

“Alright, fine.” Dazai pouted, taking the room key.

Dazai grabbed his room key and sullenly marched over to the elevator. It dinged and he stepped inside.

“Head to your room, Aku. You’re making a mess.” said Mori, rubbing his temples.

“Yes, sir,” said Aku.

He was dripping water everywhere, and his clothes stuck to his skin uncomfortably. Aku needed to wash his hair- the chlorine from the pool always made his hair fluffy and unmanageable. Hopefully his shirt wouldn’t shrink due to it.

As Aku walked away, Mori sighed deeply. He didn’t understand how he ended up with such nightmare children.

“Gin, please make sure to not end up like your brothers,” said Mori.

“Don’t worry dad, I’ve got it covered.” she said, flashing a winning smile.

I also got some of your vodka. She thought mischievously.

With that, she grabbed her things and went with her brother to the elevator. These next couple days were going to be so much fun!

Hopefully.

Notes:

Hehe anyways here's the hotel that I've set this in

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g298173-d25084971-Reviews-Mitsui_Garden_Hotel_Yokohama_Minatomirai_Premier-Yokohama_Kanagawa_Prefecture_Kanto.html#/media/25084971/?albumid=101&type=ALL_INCLUDING_RESTRICTED&category=101

let's see what our little drama queens get up to next! Stay tuned!

Chapter 3: GOSSIP

Summary:

Akutagawa's family arrives at the hotel. The first thing Aku has to do is fish his stupid brother out of the pool. Where do we go from here?

Notes:

Holy fuck I wrote nearly 9k words for this chapter. I didn't expect it to be this long but what can you do? Have fun!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Aku went into his room and dragged his suitcase by the bed. He dug through his clothes and pulled out his Adidas sweatpants and a NIGHTMARE shirt. He stripped off his soaking wet clothes and hung them up in the bathroom. Man, he’d been excited to wear his MCR shirt- it was his favorite one! Aku grabbed his bag of hair care products- he hated using hotel shampoo. He had a strict hair care routine, and being in a hotel was no excuse to ignore it. He’d also brought his cinnamon-scented body wash. He didn’t want his skin dried out by some random body wash from a hotel.

Akutagawa started the shower, and waited for it to get nice and hot. He opened the bag and pulled out his products. He had his shampoo, conditioner, his leave-in conditioner, his wide-toothed comb, his heat protectant, and his rosemary hair oil. He grabbed a couple washcloths, his shampoo, and his conditioner, and stepped into the water. He stuck his head under the warm water, groaning at the pleasant feeling. He lathered the shampoo into his hair, turned the heat down, and rinsed. Rinsing your hair with warm water is bad for your hair, after all.

With that done, he put a generous amount of conditioner into his hair. He combed through it with the wide tooth comb to get the tangles out of his hair- pool water had a tendency to do that. He massaged it into his scalp, groaning softly. With that, he put some body wash on the washcloths, and began washing himself.

Ugh, why did his brother have to be a suicidal maniac? The worst part was that it seemed like Dazai did it for attention. He’d been in and out of the mental institution over the last few years, and joked about spending time in ‘grippy sock jail.’ At first, Akutagawa had been really worried about him, but over the years he had just kind of accepted it. He always wore those bandages, hiding his self-harm scars and the jagged ones from the official attempts. Aku didn’t understand why Mori didn’t just have him committed to the hospital indefinitely, but it was none of his business.

While he and Gin were related by blood, Dazai was his step brother. He and Gin had been adopted by Mori when he was five and Gin was three. As for Dazai, his parents had been killed in a plane crash and Mori had been designated as the boy’s godfather. Aku wasn’t sure when Dazai was taken in by Mori- all he knew was that it was before he and Gin were adopted. He and Dazai were only a year apart in age, but you wouldn’t know that from their personalities.

Dazai was a whiny, lackadaisical bastard who seemed like he didn’t have to try to be successful. He could sleep through all his classes and get a perfect grade, but Akutagawa had to work and struggle in order to maintain his grades. Mori always compared the two of them, making Aku feel like he’d never live up to Mori’s expectations.

The worst thing was that Aku desperately wished for a relationship with Dazai. He wanted to be worthy of being called his brother. Dazai was smart, popular with everyone regardless of gender, and handsome. Dazai excelled at everything he did, while Aku had to scratch, bite, and claw his way to success, leaving a pit of bitterness in his stomach.

A horrible cough burst from Aku’s chest, snapping him out of his spiral. Akutagawa coughed violently, having to hold onto the handrail in the shower. He gasped desperately for air, trying to get some oxygen in his useless lungs. He coughed a few more times, causing tears to form in his eyes. Fuck, he thought he’d finally gotten over this! Eventually, the coughing subsided and he was able to breathe normally again. He rinsed his hair, and stepped out of the shower. He sat on the toilet and put his head in his hands, focusing on his breathing.

Akutagawa had been forced to put his debut on hold for a couple years because he was sickly. He had a rare condition that affected his lungs, and had been forced to undergo treatments for the last couple years in order to live a somewhat normal life. His chest felt like it was on fire. Did he remember his inhaler? He better go check.

He went back to his suitcase, digging through it frantically to find it. Oh thank fuck, he packed it! Aku shook it, and then used the inhaler. As he inhaled, it felt slightly cold, and the taste of the medicine was slightly sweet. The back of his throat felt numb, but Akutagawa sighed in relief. Much better.

He went back into the bathroom to dry off. Making sure he could breathe was way more important than being wet. He dried himself off, and wrapped his hair in a towel. Aku put his clothes on, his deodorant, and some cologne. He took the towel off, sprayed his hair with the heat protectant, and dried his hair with the hair dryer. After that, he sprayed his leave-in conditioner and massaged it into his hair. Hopefully it would keep his hair from becoming fluffy- it made him look like a pomeranian.

There was a rapid knock at the door, and Aku sighed. Mori must need something. Rolling his eyes, he went and opened the door.

“Hey, Ryuu!” said Gin cheerfully.

Gin had changed into a long black skirt, a black sweater, and black ballet flats. She had her black mini Versace tote bag. She entered the room, and sat down on the dresser. She grinned widely.

“Dad is chewing Dazai out, and he’ll be busy with that for a while. Wanna go explore the hotel with me? We could go get some more coffee!” she said cheerfully.

“Mayne in a bit. I just had an attack and I need a minute to recover.” said Aku.

Gin’s eyes widened with shock, “What? Are you okay?” she gasped.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I made sure to bring the inhaler, and it helped me. I’ve got another canister of medicine, and I’m gonna be keeping it on me at all times. We’re gonna have to call the doctor on Monday, but I’m fine.” he replied.

Gin’s brow creased in worry, “I’m glad to hear that, but please be careful. I don’t want you to have to go to the hospital again.”

Akutagawa’s heart panged with guilt. Gin had been forced to watch his horrible coughing fits, watching helplessly as he coughed up blood and nearly suffocated. He hated seeing his sister cry, and he wished she didn’t have to watch him suffer.

“I’ll be okay, Gin. Really, it’s nothing to worry about. The doctors said that this would happen, and it’s what the inhaler is for. I’m fine.” he smiled what he hoped was a winning smile.

Gin frowned, but nodded her head. She reached into her mini tote bag, and pulled out two mini water bottles.

“I portioned out some vodka for us! I don’t want us too toasted before lunch, but we have enough to have some fun!” she grinned.

“Oh, thank god. After this morning, I need a fuckin drink.” Aku groaned.

Gin handed her brother the small water bottle, and he took it happily.

“Look out teeth, look out gums, look out liver, here she comes!” they said together.

They both took a big swig of the vodka. The fiery liquid went down smoothly, leaving a slightly tingling feeling at the back of their throats. Gin didn’t flinch, but Aku shuddered as the alcohol entered his system. Relief flooded him, and he groaned in appreciation. His brain quieted, and he felt a smile forming on his face.

“Fuck, that stuff is good.” he said.

“It’s a good thing dad has good taste in booze, huh?” Gin giggled.

“Which one did you take?” Aku asked.

“Grey Goose, duh! I wouldn’t swipe one of his really expensive bottles- he’d flip out.” said Gin

“Good thinking.” said Aku. He then sighed deeply.

“I can’t believe Dazai pulled one of his stunts earlier. He’s so fucking dramatic. Why does he have to go and ruin everything? It’s bad enough he ruined his own cotillion; does he really have to ruin our debut, too? It’s not fair. Father lets him get away with everything.” He grumbled.

“Yeah, I think it’s pretty shitty, but it’s not like there’s anything we can do about it. I overheard him lecturing Dazai earlier, but we’ll see if it sticks. I hope he doesn’t embarrass us in front of Fukuzawa and his kids.” said Gin.

She then smiled mischievously, “Especially in front of you-know-who.”

Aku scoffed, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Aww, come on Ryuu. You’re always going on about ‘weretiger this, weretiger that.’ Didn’t you give him that nickname after Poe’s Halloween party where he dressed as one? He looked so cute! I loved his little cat ears and the tail! You spent so much time ranting about how ridiculous he looked! Why does he get under your skin so badly?” she teased.

“He’s pathetic, that’s why! It bothers me for some reason.” Aku said, rolling his eyes.

Gin crossed her arms and rolled her eyes back at him.

“I bet it would bother you if he was dancing with some other guy!” she said.

“He will not be dancing with any other guy! I won’t allow it!” he snapped.

“Haha, told you, told you! You have a crush!” Gin taunted.

“Shut up.” Aku growled.

He took another swig of the vodka.

“Isn’t that girl gonna be here, too? Higuchi? She has a massive crush on you, you know.” said Akutagawa.

It was Gin’s turn to be flustered.

“D-does she? How do you know that? What did she say?” she asked.

“It’s obvious. Do you have any idea how upset she gets when she sees you talking to other girls? We’re on the same Esports team for chrissakes. Do you have any idea how much she yaps about you? It’s fucking annoying.” said Aku.

Gin’s face turned bright red, and she began to stammer.

“I would bet money that she’s gonna ask Father if she can court you tomorrow night.” said Aku.

In reality, Aku had spent most of last night hyping Higuchi up.

******

“Come on, Gucci. I know my Father is scary, but all you have to do is ask him. Your family is in good standing, and he would see it as a good business move. All you have to do is ask.” he’d said, exasperated.

“B-but it’s Mori! He looks at people like he’s going to eat them.” she’d whined.

Aku pinched the bridge of his nose.

“If you don’t ask him, someone else will. Have you seen my sister? She’s beautiful! She’s bound to have many suitors; all you have to do is beat them to the punch. How would you feel if she married someone else?” he asked.

Higuchi screamed on the other end of the line.

“No! She’s not allowed to marry anyone else!” she wailed.

“Then ask my father Saturday night! You’re too old for this foolishness! Ask my father or you may lose her!” Aku snapped.

“Okay, okay. I’ll talk to him on Saturday, but if he eats me, I’ll haunt your scrawny ass.” she said.

“Fine, fine. Just speak with my father and the matter will be dealt with!” said Aku.

“Thanks, dude. I appreciate the encouragement.” she said.

“Don’t fuck this up.” he said.

He hung up, and set his alarm. Early mornings were evil.

*******

“Y-you think so? Do you think she’ll actually do it, or is she still scared of our father?” Gin stammered.

“If she chickens out, I’ll flay her myself. That’s a promise.” said Aku.

Aku’s stomach rolled a little bit. He’d only had coffee for breakfast, and now it was swirling uncomfortably with the vodka in his stomach. He burped and swallowed back some bile, trying to keep from throwing up.

“Let’s order some room service. I haven’t eaten anything and now my stomach hurts.” he said.

“Let’s order some waffles! I love waffles!” said Gin, swaying.

Gin picked up the phone, and dialed room service. She ordered two large plates of waffles with strawberries and cream. In the orphanage, sugar had been a luxury. Now, the two of them took any opportunity to enjoy sweets.

While they waited, Aku thought of the last time they’d been here. It had been for Gin’s sweet sixteen. It had been a lot of fun- their dad had bought her a brand new Mercedes-Benz. He didn't like getting yelled at by that Kunikida guy. He needed to take some anxiety meds or something.

“Is that Kunikida guy the planner for this event? God, he’s so annoying. If you’re even one minute off schedule he freaks the fuck out.” he grumbled.

“Yeah, he is annoying, but he sure knows how to plan an event! My birthday party was so much fun! I’m sure everything will go off without a hitch.” said Gin cheerfully.

“So long as our idiot brother doesn’t start another fight. Did Father tell you about the cotillion? He said it was an utter disaster. Our brother brought much shame to the family, and he doesn't even care. I don’t understand how he can be so casual about these things.” Aku grumbled.

“Yeah, I don’t either. Dad lets him get away with these things too. Neither of us could get away with the stunts that he pulls. All we can do is be on our best behavior so that he doesn’t get mad at us.” said Gin.

There was a knock at the door, and Gin stood up to answer it. She wheeled the food cart in, and pulled the top of the tray off. The waffles looked magnificent- they were topped with plenty of strawberries, whipped cream, and there was a dusting of powdered sugar on top. There were several packets of syrup off to the side. Gin handed Aku his plate, and he poured several syrup packets on top of his waffles. He then took a bite.

If happiness had a flavor, these waffles would surely be it. Aku ate ravenously- as though he’d been starving. The strawberries were fresh, and naturally sweet. Before he knew it, Aku had inhaled the whole plate. He put the plate back on the tray, humming contentedly. He felt much better now.

“Do you want to explore the hotel now, Gin? We still have some time to kill.” said Aku.

“Yes! Let’s do it!” said Gin.

She finished her plate, and put it back on the tray. She wheeled the cart into the hallway, and then came back inside. She grabbed her purse, and her brother’s arm.

“Let’s go!” she said.

Aku yelped slightly as she dragged him into the hallway. They went into the elevator, and went down to the lobby. All around them, families with kids the same age as them milled around. They were carrying their outfits in their arms, and chatting with their parents and escorts. Some of them already had their makeup done, and some of them looked like they’d gone to a clown to put their makeup on. It made their faces look orange, and their ‘contour’ made them look like they were breaking out.

They walked down the hallway, and saw an open area with a grand piano sitting under a large chandelier. Gin’s eyes lit up when she saw it.

“Do you think guests are allowed to play it?” she asked excitedly.

Akutagawa frowned.

“Maybe. You’d have to ask, I suppose. I’m sure they wouldn’t want an amatuer playing ‘Heart and Soul’ all day- that would get irritating really quickly.” he said.

“Yeah, but you know that I’m no amatuer! I came in first place at the national competition, you know!” said Gin

It was true- Gin was a piano prodigy the likes of which hadn’t been seen. She was even better than Dazai! When Mori had introduced her to the instrument, she’d taken to it like a child in a candy store. When she wasn’t doing school work, she was in their music room working on a new piece. Gin was planning to record an album later this year, after they’d both had their birthdays. She was very excited, and had received offers from the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and the University of Tsukuba to study there. She had been very stressed out about deciding which university would be best for her music career.

Aku shrugged, “The worst thing they can say is ‘no.’ Let’s ask after lunch.”

“Hooray! I don’t see why they’d refuse!” said Gin cheerfully.

“If they do, send Father after them. He’d get them to let them- you’re his favorite, after all.” said Aku.

“No I’m not! Don’t say such things!” Gin said, appalled.

It was true though. Out of the three of them, Mori liked Gin the most. She had the best grades, the best fashion sense, and she didn’t cause trouble. Since she was a prodigy, it was something for him to brag about to his friends. Since she spent all her time playing the piano, she didn’t have the time to get into fights or to worry about teen pregnancy. He’d also been ecstatic to find out that she was a lesbian for the same reason.

“Besides, you can always adopt like I did.” He’d said.

Aku sighed, “Sorry, I take it back.”

They passed the pool that their moronic brother threw himself in, watching a couple families playing where they’d been. It was a good thing that Akutagawa had grabbed him- otherwise it would have spoiled their fun. Hell, it could have ruined this whole event.

“Do you want to go swimming, Ryuu? Maybe we could later.” she said.

“No. After earlier, I have no desire to enter any pool. I want to relax after the rehearsal later, and I just washed my hair. After dealing with those fools who call themselves our Father’s friends, I am going to want to be alone. Go swim if you wish, but I want to listen to My Chemical Romance in peace.” said Aku.

“Okay! Shoot me a text if you want to hang out!” she said cheerfully.

They passed a small gym that looked like it had all the latest equipment. Akutagawa never saw the appeal of going to the gym- he thought that most gym rats were insufferable. He didn’t like exercise either due to his shitty lungs. He did enjoy going on walks and admiring nature, but that was about it. Gin on the other hand was a big fan of martial arts. However, she never pursued it in favor of the piano.

They found a flight of stairs that led to a balcony overlooking the pool. It had windows that worked at the ceiling, making the pool look like it was in a glass box. There were ferns planted in planters overlooking the first floor. There was a seating area and a small table that had a few magazines on it.

Gin looked over the edge, grinning widely.

“Wow, you can see everything from up here!” she said.

“Do you see anyone we know?” asked Aku.

“Um, I think I see Sigma with his dad,” said Gin.

Akutagawa stood next to his sister and looked down. Sure enough, Sigma and Ochi Fukuchi were walking down the hallway towards the elevator. They appeared to be deep in conversation, Sigma carrying his dress in his arms as Fukuchi carried their luggage. Sigma was a nice person- he was known for being friendly and had a good outlook on life. His dad was a decorated war hero who was known for being a drinker. Apparently at Ranpo’s engagement party, he’d gotten piss drunk and thrown up all over the venue. Aku could never imagine embarrassing himself like that.

“It’ll be nice to talk to him. Have you seen Fyodor or Nikolai yet? I heard that they’re supposed to be here, too.” he said.

“No, I haven’t. They probably won’t show up until later- you know how those two are.” said Gin.

Aku nodded. Nikolai Gogol was an eccentric who liked to play games and spoke in riddles. He was the heir to an international game company, and was set to inherit it once he turned 18 later this year. Akutagawa thought he was fucking annoying. He’d been a theater kid who liked to wear different disguises in order to create chaos. He’d gotten kicked out of a school for impersonating a teacher and releasing embarrassing information about the staff at the school.

Nikolai had also slept with everything that moved. As long as everything was consensual, he didn’t care about the gender or relationship status of his partners. Aku thought it was slimy as hell. Akutagawa would never cheat or be the other man- that was against everything he stood for. If he had the man that he wanted, Aku would treasure him for the rest of his life. He’d never stray, deceive him, or put him in harm’s way.

Akutagawa checked his phone. Damn, it was already 10:30. They had an hour and a half before they were meeting the Fukuzawa family for lunch. Aku’s stomach flipped again- he was so glad that he’d eaten something earlier. Gin and Aku headed down the stairs and ended back up in the hallway. They headed further down, and passed the rehearsal ballrooms. Gin poked her head in the girl’s rehearsal room. They could hear shouting.

“WHERE IS THE FLORIST? THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FIVE MINUTES AGO! WE’RE ALREADY FIVE MINUTES OFF SCHEDULE, THIS IS A DISASTER!”

“Mr. Kunkikida, please calm down! They’re stuck in traffic, they should be here soon!” said a frightened voice.

“THEY SHOULD HAVE FACTORED IN THE TIME TO GET HERE WITH TRAFFIC! HOW DO THEY STAY IN BUSINESS BEING THIS INEFFICIENT?” screamed Kunkikida.

“Please sir, remember what your doctor said about your blood pressure!”

Gin and Akutagawa stifled their laughter as Gin shut the door. The siblings grinned mischievously at each other, and kept moving. They came across a staircase leading down, and they grinned at each other. Maybe they’d find a secret passage! That would be cool.

They scurried down the stairs. It was a nondescript hallway that had a white folding table sitting right next to the stairs. There were plates, streamers, silverware, and a bundle of dance cards for the girlies. There was also a water cooler.

“We should probably drink some water.” said Aku.

Gin nodded. They drank some water, and then headed back upstairs. They went outside to an outdoor garden area. It must look nice in the summer, but right now it was barren. Both Gin and Aku shuddered- it was too damn cold. They went back inside and headed to the elevator. That was enough exploration for one day.

“We probably should start getting ready for lunch. Dad probably wants us to look nice.” said Gin.

Aku nodded, “Yeah, we better. We don’t need another lecture from Father about looking presentable.”

They took their elevators back to the rooms. Aku waved goodbye to his sister and entered his room. He changed into a pair of black slacks, as well as a white bellamy shirt. He put on his long black overcoat, and looked at himself in the mirror. Perfect- he was all ready. He heard a knock at his door, and Aku sighed. Gin probably needed something. Aku opened the door, and Dazai sauntered in.

“Ryuuuuuuuuuuuuu, how’s it going?” said his brother.

“What do you want? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for our lunch with the Fukuzawas?” grumbled Aku.

“I’m all set! Can’t you tell?” he said cheerfully.

He wore tan dress pants, a white shirt, and a black vest. He wore a bollo tie with a green emerald on it. He wore a tan trench coat, mostly hiding his bandages. He wore his fancy Italian leather shoes that he’d bought just for this event.

Aku rolled his eyes. It was an alright outfit, but he knew that his brother could do better. It wasn’t worth bringing up though- Dazai’s whining got really annoying really quickly.

“Anyway, I need your help with something. Do you happen to know where I could get a dance card?” he asked.

“What do you need a dance card for?” asked Akutagawa.

“That’s a secret!” said Dazai, pressing a finger to his lips.

“Why should I help you? I just saved your soggy ass from the pool- I’m not interested in doing you any favors.” he scoffed.

“Pleeeeeeeaaaaaaaasssssseeeeee? I’ll buy you some of that fancy roasted green tea that you like! I’ll even help you out with Atsushi! You two would be so cute together! Come onnnnnn, please, please, please?” said Dazai, making puppy eyes at his brother.

Aku sighed deeply, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Gin and I saw some downstairs. On the first floor, past the rehearsal ballroom for the girls, is a staircase that leads to the basement. There was a table with party supplies as well as a bundle of dance cards. You better not embarrass me in front of Atsushi at lunch.” he said, glaring at Dazai.

Dazai’s eyes lit up, “Thank you so much, Ryuu! You’re a lifesaver! I’ll order some of that tea right away!”

Dazai squeezed Akutagawa in a tight hug, and then scampered out of the room. Aku was dumbfounded.

Did Dazai just hug me? He thought.

He’d be riding this high for a week.

Aku went into the bathroom to get his hair oil. He put some on his hands, and worked it onto his scalp and the ends of his hair. He had an unfortunate dye job at the moment. He’d foolishly allowed Gin to try bleaching the ends of his hair. It didn’t look good, but he didn’t have the heart to cut the ends off. He didn’t want to hurt Gin’s feelings-and if he did- his Father would have his head.

Once he was done, he washed his hands. He looked at himself in the mirror, and threw up a peace sign. He looked good. There was a sudden knock at his door. Aku opened his door to see his Father standing there.

Mori was clean shaven, and had a small smile on his face. He wore long black pants, a white undershirt, a black vest, a red tie, his long black coat, and his long red scarf. His violet eyes were as unreadable as ever. He sighed.

“Must you always dress like a drowned Victorian child?” he asked.

“Is it a crime to have style, Father? I dress better than 90% of these fools.” said Aku.

“I suppose not. Have you seen your brother? We’re just about ready to go. Fukuzawa is a punctual man, and it’s in poor taste to show up late.” said Mori.
“You just missed him. He said he needed to get something from downstairs.” said Akutagawa.

Mori sighed softly. He pulled out his phone and rattled off a text.

“I just told him to meet us in the lobby. Come on now, let’s go get your sister.” said Mori.

Aku left his room, as Mori knocked on Gin’s door. She answered, and Mori told her that it was time to go. They took the elevator to the first floor, and waited for Dazai.

“Father, when is Lovecraft supposed to arrive? He has to be at the dress rehearsal, you know.” said Aku, annoyed.

“He will get here at 2:00. He’s running late because his dachshund escaped his house. He loves that dog more than life itself.” sighed Mori.

“He better get here.” Aku grumbled.

“Hey guys!” said a voice.

Aku turned his head to see his brother. Dazai scurried over to his family, with a big smile on his face.

“Heyo! Sorry, I had to run and grab something! Are we headed out now?” he asked.

“Yes, Dazai. Let’s go get the car.” said Mori.

Mori led them outside to the valet. The valet hurried to the garage, and returned with their car after a few minutes. The valet got out, and bowed to Mori. They all piled into the car, and Mori drove off. Akutagawa was excited- they were headed to a nice steakhouse. If there was anything in this world he truly loved- it was steak. There was nothing better than an excellent cut of meat.

They pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot, and brought the car to the restaurant’s valet. They piled out of the car, and headed into the restaurant. The host was a young man with orange-yellow hair wearing a white shirt and black pants. Mori approached him.

“Hello, we have a reservation. It should be under Fukuzawa.” he said.

The young man looked at a piece of paper, and then smiled at him.

“Right this way!” he said.

He led them into a private room with a long table. It seemed that they arrived there first. Aku sat between Mori and Gin. A waiter followed them in, ready to help.

“Can you bring us some tea?” asked Mori.

“Right away, sir!” said the waiter.

Once they left the room, Aku felt that he could relax a bit. Good, he had a moment to emotionally prepare for meeting with the Fukuzawas. Yukichi Fukuzawa came from a long line of textile merchants dating back 400 years. Their company was widely regarded as having the best quality fabrics in all of Asia. He was known for wearing the finest traditional clothing money could buy. His daughter, Kyoka, was just like him- always wearing the very best kimonos.

His older son, Ranpo, liked to dress like an American newsboy for some reason. Akutagawa thought it made him look like a nerd. Ranpo was the best private detective in all of Japan- known for solving cases quickly and efficiently. However, he only took cases that interested him- making him kind of difficult to deal with. His diet seemed to consist of nothing but sweets and snacks. It gave Aku a stomach ache just thinking about it.

Finally, there was Atsushi. Atsushi was a quiet kid who seemed to have really bad anxiety. It seemed like he liked to cut his hair himself- there was no explanation for the awful haircut he sported. He was a studious kid who seemed to really like animals. If you got him talking about animals, he would talk nonstop about them all day. His favorite animals were chameleons and tigers. Atsushi’s face would light up, and his beautiful heterochromic eyes would sparkle like stars.

“Here’s your tea!” said the waiter.

He put the teapot and the cups on the table. The waiter served them the tea, bowed, and then left the room. Aku took a sip of the green tea. It wasn’t as good as the roasted green tea that he usually drank, but it was good enough.

“Hello, Mori.” said a voice.

Aku turned his head to see the Fukuzawas enter the room. They sat down across from Mori’s family. Fukuzawa always had a frown on his face, and he was staring at Mori intently. It was well known that Fukuzawa and Mori didn’t like each other. Apparently they’d had a rivalry since high school. Akutagawa didn’t know the details, and he really didn’t care. Kyoka was a quiet girl, but when she spoke her words carried weight.

“Yukichi! How lovely it is to see you again!” said Mori.

Fukuzawa grunted in response. He was a man of few words- something Akutagawa respected.

“H-hey Akutagawa.” said Atsushi nervously.

Atsushi was wearing a white shirt with black pants. He wore black suspenders, and black fingerless gloves. He looked at Mori with wide, frightened eyes. People generally had that reaction when looking at Aku’s father- not that he could blame them. Mori was an intimidating man whose presence commanded a room. There were rumors that his father had mafia connections, and Aku really didn’t want to know if it was true or not. It was none of his fucking buisness.

“Hello, weretiger.” said Aku stiffly.

“How long are you going to call me that?” he asked sheepishly, “That party was two years ago.”

“Until you hire someone to cut your hair properly,” said Aku.

“Now, now, Ryuu. That’s no way to speak to our friends.” said Mori.

Fukuzawa huffed, but said nothing. His older son, Ranpo, groaned loudly.

“Does this place have red bean soup? Most of the stuff here doesn’t suit my palette.” he whined.

“Yes, they do, Ranpo.” said Fukuzawa.

The host returned with more tea, as well as with menus.

“Please take your time,” he said.

“Do you have sugar?” asked Ranpo.

“Yes, I’ll be right back with some.” said the young man.

“Yikichi, it’s been too long! How was your trip? I hear Tokyo is beautiful in the winter.” said Mori.

“It was fine.” said Fukuzawa, “Thank you for agreeing to escort Atsushi.”

“The pleasure is all mine. I’ll admit- I was surprised when you called me about it. I thought that you’d get someone like Fukuchi to do it.” said Mori.

Fukuzawa took a sip of his tea, savoring it.

“Fukuchi is not fit to escort anyone. I have no desire to have a repeat of Ranpo’s engagement party.” he said.

“Yeah, he got really drunk and threw up all over the place. He then pissed in the front yard of the venue. It was really embarrassing.” Ranpo piped up.

Ah, so the rumors are true. Thought Aku.

Aku couldn’t help but notice the way Fukuzawa looked at Dazai when he’d said that. Dazai was too busy chatting with Atsushi to notice.

“Hey, Atsushi! How’s my favorite student doing?”

“It’s going well, Dazai. Calculus is starting to make sense to me! Thank you for all your help!” said Atsushi, smiling.

Aku burned with jealousy. Dazai was never willing to help Akutagawa with his homework. He’d really struggled with geometry last year, and Dazai didn’t lift a finger to help! Yet here he was, offering his talents and time to people who weren’t even family. It turned his stomach. Aku forced himself to look at the menu. He decided on their steak special- a wagyu steak with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.

The waiter returned and took everyone’s order. Once he left, Gin smiled at Kyoka.

“How have you been, Kyoka? I haven’t seen you since I left judo. Is Kishimoto-sensei doing alright?” she asked.

“He’s doing well. I’ll admit, it hasn’t been the same without you. I haven’t faced a worthy opponent since your departure.” she said.

“I’m sorry, Kyoka. I have thought about rejoining, but I just don’t have time with graduation and then college coming up. “

“I understand.” said Kyoka, “I hope it all goes well for you.”

“Thank you, Kyoka. Maybe you could come over and we could spar sometime!” said Gin.

“Dad, could we do that? I’d like to train with Gin.” said Kyoka, looking at her dad.

“Maybe after your cotillion. Let’s get that out of the way before anything else.” said Fukuzawa.

“I think that’s an excellent idea. Please let us know when the cotillion is- I would love to make an appearance.” said Mori.

Fukuzawa stared at Mori for a moment, and then looked at Dazai.

“As long as nothing occurs tomorrow, I would be happy to have you.” he said finally.

“Don’t worry, Fukuzawa! I promise to be on my best behavior tomorrow! There won’t be any problems whatsoever!” Dazai flashed a dazzling smile.

Fukuzawa was quiet for a moment.

“We’ll see.” he said.

“Tomorrow is going to be a wonderful occasion. I know that it will go off without a hitch!” said Mori cheerfully.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyway, you’re all cordially invited to Poe and I’s wedding! It’s on May 18th! Apparently the day is lucky or something. I don’t really believe in luck, but Poe insisted upon it!” said Ranpo, sticking 4 sugar cubes in his tea.

“We’ll be there. It sounds like a wonderful time.” said Mori, “How did the two of you meet?”

“Oh, it was at my Debutante Ball. He had a crush on me for years, but wasn’t brave enough to say anything until then. He’d finally gathered up the courage in order to ask my dad if he could court me. Now we’re getting married!” Ranpo grinned.

“My, how wonderful! I do hope it all goes smoothly.” said Mori.

“We’re going to have Kunikida plan it. He’s a perfectionist, but he gets results. I don’t think he needs to get as stressed out as he does, but hey, what can you do? Ugh, it’s taking so looooooong and I’m huuuuungry.” Ranpo whined.

“Are you ready for college entrance exams, Akutagawa? I’m really nervous about them.” said Atsushi.

“Don’t stress out about it! You’ll do fine, I’m the one tutoring you, after all!” said Dazai.

Akutagawa glared at Dazai. It would be nice if his brother would help him, too. Dazai merely grinned.

“Ryuu, how about you and Atsushi study together? I’m sure the two of you would work well together!” he said, mischief in his eyes.

“I do not need help studying, especially not with the weretiger!” Aku grumbled.

“Don’t be like that, Ryuu! I think it would be good for you!” said Gin.

Aku glared at her, but said nothing. He wasn’t going to argue with her.

“...Fine.” said Aku

“How wonderful to see that our children are getting along! It reminds me of us in our youth.” said Mori.

“I seem to recall things differently.” said Fukuzawa.

At that moment, several waiters came in carrying their trays of food. The adults had ordered a red wine to go with their steaks. Gin had ordered a porterhouse that had a side of mashed potatoes with chives and some kind of sauce. Ranpo had ordered two bowls of red bean soup, and was slurping away at them. Kyoka ordered the salmon, and Atsushi ordered the same meal as Akutagawa. Dazai had ordered a steak and lobster combo.

A silence came over the table as the group tucked into their meals. Akutagawa forced himself not to eat ravenously- he had to uphold decorum. Dazai on the other hand was shoveling food into his mouth like he’d been starving.

“How is everything?” asked a waiter.

“Good.” they said in a chorus.

They returned to eating their meal. Akutagawa watched Atsushi eat. He ate daintily, cutting his food into small pieces. Atsushi’s face lit up with each bite, clearly enjoying his meal. Aku enjoyed his meal too, but not in the same manner. Atsushi ate like each bite was precious- like it could be the last meal of his life. Akutagawa felt strange for the envy he felt.

“So Gin, have you decided which college you’re wanting to attend? I heard that you’ve received several offers for your music degree.” said Fukuzawa.

“I’m having trouble deciding. I’m leaning more toward Tokyo University- it’s closer and I think it better suits my needs.” she replied.

“That’s a good school. I know some of the professors there- they’re very helpful, especially for promising young musicians like yourself. I could speak to them for you, if you wish.” said Fukuzawa.

Gin’s eyes lit up.

“Really? Thank you so much! I would really appreciate that.” she said excitedly.

“What about you, Ryuunosuke? What do you wish to study?” he asked.

“I plan to study literature. Once I pass my exams, I wish to go to Tokyo University- it has the best literature program in the country.” Aku replied, “I wish to become a professor after I graduate.”

“Teaching is a noble profession. Just make sure to focus on your studies and I’m sure you’ll be able to make it happen.” said Fukuzawa.

“Atsushi, what are you planning to study?” asked Gin.

“I am going to pursue a Zoology degree. I want to go into conservation and help save endangered species.” he said.

“Are there any in particular?” she asked

Atsushi’s eyes lit up.

“For starters, there’s the lesser chameleon- Furcifer minor. They’re only found in Madagascar and they’re endangered. The females are green with yellow spots and they have a patch of red on their heads. They’re so beautiful! The males are grey with long snouts. Their habitats get destroyed due to tourmaline and quartz mining- it makes me sad. I want to go in and study them, and see if I can do anything to help stop the destruction of their homes.” he said.

Aku listened intently as Atsushi excitedly chatted about the creatures. If he was being honest, he could listen to Atsushi talk about chameleons all day. He’d never admit that out loud though.

“What a noble pursuit. Visiting Africa would be a fun excursion. Yukichi, you must be very proud of him.” said Mori.

Fukuzawa nodded, “Yes, I am proud that my son wishes to care for the well being of nature. I’m sure that the exams will go well.”

“When you get to Madagascar, please be sure to send me a postcard!” said Dazai

“I absolutely will!” Atsushi beamed.

Everyone finished their meals, with everyone smiling and laughing together. The waiter returned to the room, smiling.

“Let me get these plates out of the way. Would you like the dessert menus?” he asked.

“Yes! Yes, please!” said Ranpo.

“Sounds good, I’ll be right back.”

The waiter took the stack of plates, and left the room.

“What do you want to study, Dazai? I don’t think we’ve talked about it.” asked Atsushi.

“I’m going to medical school. I’ll be studying to be a surgeon- not that I have any interest in that.” he said, narrowing his eyes at Mori.

“Ah, but if you don’t go you’ll lose your inheritance, and I know you don’t want that.” said Mori, smiling a menacing smile.

The tension in the room was palpable. Akutagawa had heard many arguments between his brother and Mori about the subject. On those days, Aku would seal himself in his room and listen to all of MCR’s discography to drown it out. He’d rather listen to the magnificent voice of Gerard Way than the shouting. It was really fucking annoying.

The waiter returned with the dessert menus, and they decided to order a chocolate cake to share. The waiter bowed, and left the room.

“I’m thinking about becoming a doctor, too. I want to become a pediatrician and help kids.” said Kyoka.

“That will take a lot of studying, but I’m sure it would be something you’d enjoy,” said Mori, “You have plenty of time to prepare, but it’s better to over prepare than to under prepare.”

Kyoka nodded, “I’m already studying anatomy and physiology. The human body is fascinating.”

“It truly is! The human body is a marvel- evolution at its finest. If you’d like some help studying, I’d be happy to assist you.” said Mori.

“I already have some tutors lined up for her, Mori.” said Fukuzawa coldly.

“I just thought I’d offer. All knowledge is good knowledge, after all.” said Mori with a winning smile.

The waiter returned with the cake. He cut it up and served it to everyone.

“Yay! Thank you!” said Ranpo.

“How is your private investigator business running, Ranpo? I’ve heard that you have a very high success rate.” asked Mori, “Though I’ve heard that you’re particular about the cases you take.”

Ranpo nodded, “Yeah, I don’t like taking the cases where they want me to catch their partner cheating. Bo-ring! They’re too predictable! I like taking the cases that the police can’t solve because they’re a bunch of dummies. I’ve been compared to Sherlock Holmes, but I’m way smarter than him!” he said proudly.

“And you’re humble, too. How wonderful.” said Mori.

“Yeah, I am pretty humble!” said Ranpo proudly.

The waiter returned, and took some of the empty plates away. Mori cleared his throat.

“We’re ready for the check.” he said.

“Right away, sir. Is it together or separate?” asked the waiter.
“Together.” smiled Mori, pulling his wallet out.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.” said the waiter.

“I could have taken care of it.” said Fukuzawa.

“Nonsense! Consider it a token of goodwill.” smiled Mori.

The waiter returned with the check, and Mori handed him the money. A couple moments later, he returned with the change. Mori thanked him, and the waiter took the last of the plates.

“It was lovely to see you and your family. We must do this again.” said Mori cheerfully.

“I’ll have to check my schedule,” said Fukuzawa.

Mori clapped his hands.

“Come along now, children. We need to get back to the hotel and get ready for the dress rehearsal! See you later, Yukichi!” he said.

With that, Gin, Aku, and Dazai stood up and said their goodbyes. They exited the restaurant and went to the valet. The valet brought their car, they got in, and they began heading back to the hotel.

“I think that went well, don’t you?” said Mori

“Yeah, it was fun!” said Gin cheerfully.

“Fukuzawa is such a stern man.” said Aku

“He’s always been like that, even when we were kids. I’ve told him that he needs to lighten up, but he never listens to me” said Mori.

They pulled up to the hotel and dropped the car off with the valet. They went inside and took the elevator up to their rooms. Akutagawa sighed deeply as he took his suit out of his luggage. Thankfully, the hotel room had an iron and ironing board. He carefully ironed his clothes- making sure that his clothes didn’t get singed.

He kept his white shirt on, and put his suit jacket on. It was black with gold embroidery and a breast pocket. He pulled out his cufflinks that Mori had given him. They were gold imperial topaz cufflinks that sparkled in the light. He attached them carefully, admiring them. Akutagawa looked at himself in the mirror. He looked good.

There was a knock at the door. Aku opened the door to see Lovecraft. He was a giant of a man with long black hair and a blank expression on his face. He wore a black suit with a white shirt and a black tie.

“My apologies, Akutagawa. My poor little Azathoth ran away this morning, and I had to find him. I was so distraught.” he said.

“It’s fine, what matters is that you’re here. Are you ready?” asked Aku

Lovecraft nodded, and followed Aku to the elevator. They went downstairs and went to the ballroom for the boys. Akutagawa recognized some of the other boys from school. He looked off to the side to see Fyodor Doetoevsky standing off to the side. He was standing with a man Aku didn’t recognize. A wave of rage filled Akutgawa- he fucking hated that man with a firey passion.

The Russian was an intense person- his violet eyes always had a dead fishlike quality to them. He always had a cold smile on his face that never reached his eyes. Something about the smug look on his face made Akutagawa irrationally angry. Fyodor held himself like he was some kind of prince, and he thought he was better than everyone else. Fyodor had sold several patents before he’d turned 18, making him a shitload of money. As much as Aku hated to admit it, Fyodor was a smart man- he just hated that the Russian acted like he owned the world.

“Hey! Akutagawa! Over here!” said a voice.

Akutagawa looked over to see Higuchi and her escort Margaret Mitchell approaching him. Aku smiled as she approached. Higuchi was wearing a dark maroon suit with a black tie. She had her hair styled in a neat braid, and wore a pair of black stud earrings.

“Hey, Gucci! How are you?” he asked.

“I’m good! How are you? How’d that meeting with the Fukuzawas go?” she asked.

“It was fine. My father and Fukuzawa were being bitchy towards each other as usual. The food was good though.” he replied.

“I’m glad to hear that. Was Atsushi with him?” Higuchi asked.

“Yes, the weretiger was there.” said Akutagawa stiffly.

“Why do you still call him that? That party was two years ago.” Higuchi asked teasingly.

“Because it was stupid and I have to remind him that it was stupid.” Aku grumbled.

Lovecraft and Margaret stood there, chatting about their jobs. Apparently Lovecraft had opened a new aquarium to research octopi. It was the only time Aku had ever seen the man smile.

“Alright everyone, please line up in the alphabetical order of your last names.” said a man in a grey suit.

Ango Sakeguchi was Kunikida’s assistant in the party planning business. He was a no nonsense man who rarely-if ever- lost his cool. Akutagawa was glad that he was the one that they were dealing with, rather than Kunikida. If he was being honest, Kunikida stressed Aku out.

Since his last name started with an ‘A’, Akutagawa would be the first one to be announced. He stood, bored, as he watched the other fellas line up behind him. He heard some bickering, but that was to be expected. Some of these motherfuckers were so dramatic. Akutagawa was glad he was going first- it meant he was better than everyone else, especially that bastard Fyodor.

The rehearsal went without a hitch- Akutagawa mostly just stood there as the names were called. Dazai was being escorted by Sakunosuke Oda- a tired looking redheaded man that was Dazai’s mentor/older brother figure. He was an international bestselling author that traveled a lot for work. His stories were alright, but they weren’t something that Aku would go out of his way to read. Aku didn’t trust him- anyone who would willingly choose to be friends with Dazai was someone not to be trusted.

“Alright everyone, that was good. You’re dismissed. See you all tomorrow.” said Ango.

Akutagawa sighed in relief. Good, now he could finally go back to his hotel room and not talk to anyone for the rest of the day.

“I’m going back to my room, Lovecraft. I’ll see you later.” said Akutagawa.

“Alright. I’m going to be with Maragaret if you need anything.” said Lovecraft.

Akutagawa exited the room, making his way to the elevator, when he heard an annoying voice calling his name.

“Ryuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, wait for me!” called Dazai.

Akutagawa groaned deeply. What did this fucker want now?
“What do you want?” Aku grumbled.

“I have something for you in my room! Come with me!” he said.

“Do I have to?”

“Yes, yes you do!” Dazai grinned.

Akutagawa groaned deeply, and followed him into the elevator.

“Alright, but make this quick. I want to be alone.” he said.

They arrived at their floor, and Aku followed Dazai into his room. The room was a mess, with Dazai’s shit strewn all over the room. Akutagawa didn’t understand how Dazai could make such a big mess in such a short time. Dazai beelined to his suitcase, and began rummaging through it. Akutagawa sighed deeply.

“You’re not going to make another attempt tomorrow, are you?” asked Aku, “I don’t want to have to save you again.”

“That wasn’t an attempt!” said Dazai cheerfully.

Akutagawa’s eyes widened in shock.

“What do you mean that it wasn’t an attempt? You tried to drown yourself again!” he said.

“Oh yeah! It was all part of my plan! I dove in so you’d get covered in pool water and have to take a shower. I didn’t want you being unwashed in front of Atsushi. You’re so ridiculous about your hair routine, but you hardly ever shower or bathe. I needed to make sure that you’d be forced to wash yourself!” said Dazai with a grin.

“You’re impossible,” said Akutagawa.

 

“Eh-heh!” said Dazai, “Oh! Here we go!”

Dazai pulled out a little phone charm. It was a chameleon with a cute expression on its face.

“Give this to Atsushi! He’ll love it!” said Dazai.

Akutagawa took the little charm in his hands. He hated to admit it, but it was very cute. Atsushi would love it. Aku looked over at the desk, and saw the dance card that Dazai had found earlier.

“What are you doing with that dance card, anyway?” asked Akutagawa suspiciously.
“It’s a secret!” said Dazai with a devious smile.

Akutagawa rolled his eyes and left the room. It was better to not get involved. Akutagawa retired to his room, finally free from the stupidity of others. Akutagaw took off his fancy clothes and hung them up carefully. Aku put the chameleon charm into his suit’s pocket so he wouldn’t forget it. He changed into his sweatpants and his Evanescence shirt. He pulled out his phone and queued up all of the Conventional Weapons singles by MCR and laid down. It was time for him to finally relax.

His mind began to wander. He thought about how he’d ask Atsushi to dance tomorrow. He imagined holding the shorter man in his arms, moving fluidly and freely. The idea of Atsushi dancing with someone else filled him with envy. He’d have to figure out some way to prevent the others from asking him to dance. If only he had a surefire way of doing so……….

Notes:

Hehe Aku sure has it bad, huh? LMK what you think in the comments!!!!

Chapter 4: STFU

Summary:

Chuuya is just trying to have a nice day! However, it seems like god is testing him when an annoying little jester makes his appearance.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Chuuya was dressed in black jeans and a red t-shirt. He was going to spend some time with his mom before the ball. His dad and Hirotsu wanted to go to a cigar lounge, and Chuuya was just fine with spending the day with his mom. It would be nice not having to listen to his dad go on about how cold he was. Chuuya smiled at himself in the mirror- he looked cute. He tied his hair back in a ponytail, and put his red long coat on. He grabbed his wallet, and left the room.

He knocked on his parent’s door. Kouyou answered the door, and smiled at Chuuya. She wore a red kimono with lilies embroidered on it. She wore a pink overcoat and white earmuffs.

“Hey there, Chuuya. Are you ready?” she asked.

“Yes, I am!” said Chuuya cheerfully.

“Good, let’s head out.” said Kouyou.

The two of them went down the elevator, and went to the valet. They got into the car, and took off.

“How’d it go yesterday, Chuuya?” asked Kouyou.

“It was good! I got to see Atsushi at the pool last night. It was good to see him. I’m going to help tutor him in physics. He’s a nice kid. He seems pretty stressed out about the upcoming exams.” he said.

Chuuya would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous about the exams, too. Chuuya had been studying his ass off over the winter break. Instead of going skiing with Yuan and Shirase, he stayed in his room stuffing his brain with as much knowledge as he could. Chuuya stayed up super late reading books about theoretical physics and books on math- making a wreck of his sleep schedule.

“Don’t overwork yourself- you need to pass, too.” she said.

 

“Don’t worry mom! I’ve been studying a lot over the break, and it would be good for me to be able to teach it to another person. Besides, it’s Atsushi! He picks stuff up really fast.” Chuuya said cheerfully.

“Alright, Chuuya. As long as you’re sure.” said Kouyou.

They pulled into the parking lot of a nail salon that Kouyou’s friend had recommended to them. Chuuya stepped out of the car, and shivered as the cold air blew. Damn, he was glad he’d brought his warm coat with him. Chuuya followed his mom inside, and was greeted by the warmth and smell of chemicals. Chuuya coughed slightly at the fumes- he didn’t know how the technicians could stand the smell. They must have gone nose blind or something. Kouyou checked them in, and then they sat down by the window. Suddenly, Chuuya’s ears were assaulted by an annoying, grating voice.

“Chuuya? How are you, bestie? It’s been too long!” said Nikolai.

Chuuya groaned internally. Not this fucking guy. Chuuya had gone to middle school with the fucker, and thought he was one of the most annoying guys in his age group. Nikolai was loud, obnoxious- and in Chuuya’s opinion- extremely unfunny. His jokes were pedestrian, his sarcasm wasn’t witty, and his fashion sense was god awful. He was a tall, skinny boy who always had a sinister smile on his face. He had heterochromic eyes- one silver, and one green. His hair was silver, and he was wearing a little white top hat. He was wearing a pair of pants that had one leg that was black, and the other one was white. He wore a white long sleeve shirt with ruffles.

“Are you debuting this year, too? How exciting! I’m sure it’ll be a night to remember!” said Nikolai with a grin.

“Yeah, I am.” said Chuuya stiffly.

“I thought you’d done it last year! Why’d you put it off? Were you trying to put some distance between it and the cotillion?” asked Nikolai.

Chuuya felt his blood pressure start to rise.

“No, I just wanted to wait.” said Chuuya, trying to keep his tone neutral.

“I hope that there’s cake. I didn’t get to try any at the cotillion before it was destroyed.” he pouted.

Chuuya’s heart began to beat quickly.

“Yeah, I hope so too.” said Chuuya, attempting to stay calm.

Chuuya noticed something. It was a white gold ring with an ornate oval- shaped diamond in the center. There was a ring of diamonds wrapped around the main diamond, and sparkled in the sunlight.

“That’s a nice ring,” said Chuuya.

“Yes, darling! I just got engaged!” Nikolai squealed.

“Congratulations. Who’s the lucky gentleman?” he asked.

“That’s a secret for later!” Nikolai teased.

“Wait, why are you having a debut? You’ve already found a husband. What’s the point of it?” asked Chuuya suspiciously.

“My father insisted upon it since I haven’t had mine yet.” Nikolai said with a dramatic sigh, “He’s such a stickler for tradition. Say, do you think you could make a May 18th wedding? It’s supposed to be a lucky day.”

“No, I’m going to Ranpo’s wedding.” said Chuuya.

Nikolai gasped loudly.

“Oh no! I’ll have to talk to my husband-to- be about this! It would be so uncouth to have our weddings the same day!” he said.

Nikolai whipped out his phone and started texting rapidly. The nail tech came out and faced them.

“Mrs. Rimbaud? We’re ready for you!” called the technician.

“Come on, Chuuya,” said Kouyou.

Chuuya stood up, relieved at being able to get away from Nikolai. He was such a creep.

Chuuya chose a style of nails that were a French manicure, but with a twist. He had the nail tech make cute, tiny bows on his nails, along with a coating of soft pink glitter. His mom chose a design that had white nails with gold flakes on them. The nail tech was a girl with long brown hair and red framed glasses. She and Chuuya chatted about the new season of Supernatural. After a while, she was finished. Chuuya admired her work.

“These look great! Thank you so much!” he beamed.

“Of course! I hope you have fun at your event!” she said.

Chuuya stood up, and walked over to where his mom was waiting. She paid for the nails, and then they went back outside. They got in the car, and drove to the day spa that they had reservations at. They got out of the car and entered the spa. Kouyou approached the young man at the front desk, and checked them in. The young man handed them robes, towels, and flip flops.

Chuuya went into the men’s section. He undressed and put the fluffy white robe on. He put his possessions in a locker, grabbed one of the towels, and walked into the massage room. There was a young man with short red hair and a smile on his face waiting for him.

“Chuuya, right? My name is Mark, I’ll be taking care of you today. Do you want a light, medium, or hard touch for your massage today?” asked Mark.

“Medium please.” said Chuuya.

Chuuya took the robe on, and covered himself with the towel. He groaned softly as Mark’s hand caressed his skin. Chuuya had so much stress stored in his back. He hadn’t felt this relaxed in ages. This is exactly what he needed. Chuuya was about to fall asleep when Mark finished.

“How do you feel?” asked Mark.

“Like a million bucks, thank you.” said Chuuya.

He put the robe back on, and sighed contentedly. He felt so much better! Now it was time for the mud bath. He loved mud baths. Chuuya entered the room, and grabbed a towel. Chuuya got into the mud bath and almost purred in enjoyment.

“Chuuya! What a coincidence! I can’t believe that you’re here too!” said the grating, agitating voice.

Chuuya clenched his teeth and looked over to see Nikolai sitting in one of the other mud baths. All the stress that Mark had so kindly worked out had come back. Nikolai had that kind of effect on people.

“Yeah, coincidence.” said Chuuya stiffly.

“So, bestie, I have a question for you. Did you happen to check the guest list for this year? We have a lot of interesting people coming to the ball tonight!” asked Nikolai.

“No, I haven’t. How come?” asked Chuuya.

“Oh, you didn’t check? I’m surprised!” gasped Nikolai.

“Why would I? I’m not worried about it. There’s no reason for me to care about such a thing.” Chuuya scoffed.

“Aww, were you not interested in potential suitors? Is Chuuya not interested in finding a partner? That’s so lame!” said Nikolai.

“It’s not that. I didn’t check because if I did, I’d feel like I was looking through a shopping catalogue. I don’t want to shop for a partner- I want to meet them naturally.” said Chuuya.

“Aww, Chuuya, you never struck me as a romantic! I heard that there’s going to be a billionaire at the debut! Isn’t that exciting?” asked Nikolai.

“Money doesn’t impress me. I would rather have someone smart than rich- I’m already rich!” scoffed Chuuya.

“What about smart and rich?” asked Nikolai teasingly.

Chuuya sighed deeply, “I mean, I guess that would be nice. He could take me to Malasia or something.”

“See? There you go! That’s thinking big.” said Nikolai, “Anyway, I’ve gotta run, bestie. I need to go pick up my dress!”

“You didn’t do it beforehand?” asked Chuuya.

“No, I put it off. I figured I’d have enough time.” said Nikolai.

Nikolai stood up, and dried himself off. He put his robe on, and began to head out of the room.

“Oh! One more thing Chuuya!” said Nikolai

“What?” Chuuya groaned.

“Do try not to show me up!” Nikolai grinned.

“I’ll do my best.” said Chuuya

“Great! See you tonight, bestie!” sang Nikolai.

Chuuya sighed in relief when the clown fucker finally left the room. God, he hated that guy. He hated how Nikolai enjoyed just how much he annoyed people. It was like he got off on it. Maybe Nikolai would do something scandalous and take the attention off of him. That would be nice.

A while later, Chuuya got out of the mud bath. He went back to the locker room and went to the shower. He pulled the curtain back, and turned the shower on. The water came from the ceiling like pouring rain. Chuuya sighed happily. He washed himself with the fancy body wash the spa provided. It smelled like lavender and eucalyptus. Chuuya got out of the shower, and felt a lot better. He pulled out the swim trunks he had brought with him.

Chuuya walked outside to where the hot tub was. His mother was sitting in it, smiling contentedly.

“Hey mom.” said Chuuya

“Hey Chuuya, are you having a good time?” she asked.

“Yeah, I am. Nikolai happened to be here too. He said that a billionaire is going to be at the ball tonight.” said Chuuya, sitting beside her.

“Hm? Oh yes, Fyodor Dostoevsky. I’ve met his parents. His family is very successful. Their son is brilliant- he’s invented a lot of things for the medical industry. He’s amassed quite an impressive fortune, and he hasn’t even graduated high school yet.” said Kouyou.

Chuuya had heard his name in passing. Apparently Fyodor had a reputation for being a player- breaking hearts with glee everywhere he went. Chuuya hated those types of people- it was as though people’s feelings were nothing to him.

“Good for him.” said Chuuya, “He sounds like a dick.”

Kouyou laughed at that, “Don’t go saying that to people, Chuuya. We don’t need it getting back to him.”

Chuuya rolled his eyes, “Okay mom, I won’t go around calling Fyodor a dick.”

“Good.” she said.

They sat in the warm water for a while. Chuuya enjoyed watching the steam dance in the cold winter air. Soon, he’d be the one dancing. Maybe he’d get to dance with a tall, handsome man who’d treat him like a princess. That would be nice.

“Chuuya, let’s head out. Our lunch reservations are soon!” said Kouyou.

“Okay, mom.” said Chuuya.

He got out of the hot tub, shivering as the cold air kissed his wet skin. He dried off with a towel, and hurried back into the locker room. His skin erupted in goosebumps, and Chuuya rubbed them to warm himself up. He put his clothes back on, and threw the towels and robe into the hampers. He met his mom back in the lobby, and they headed out.

The next place on their list was a fancy shabu shabu restaurant. Kouyou checked them in, and they sat down in a cozy booth. The waiters brought their pot, several meats, and vegetables for them. They had fancy bowls, and were served green tea. Chuuya’s face lit up- he loved shabu shabu.
“Are you ready for tonight, Chuuya?” asked Kouyou.

“Yeah, I’m ready. Honestly, I think tonight’s gonna be a lot of fun! I’m hoping to see Sigma there tonight- you know, Fukuchi’s kid?” asked Chuuya

“Yes, remind me how you met him?” asked Kouyou.

“We met at the math competition last year, remember? Our school beat his school handily, but he’s a nice person. He’s working on going to Cambridge University for math- he said his dad is being very supportive of it.” said Chuuya.

“Oh yes, I remember him.” She smiled slightly, “That’s wonderful. I’m glad to hear he’s doing well, divorce is always hardest on the kids.” said Kouyou sympathetically.

Yukichi Fukuzawa and Ouchi Fukuchi had been married for a few years, but had gotten divorced recently. Sigma told Chuuya that his dad’s drinking had gotten out of control, and Fukuzawa wasn’t willing to put up with it anymore. Apparently Fukuchi had cried and drank himself to sleep every night during the divorce, and now was wallowing in self pity.

He’d made a scene at Poe and Ranpo’s engagement party- and Chuuya had felt sorry for Sigma. Chuuya had convinced Sigma to ditch the party with him, and they ended up getting piss drunk together in Chuuya’s room. One thing led to another, and they ended up getting to know each other intimately. His mother had scolded them for being too loud.

“Yeah, he’s been studying a lot. That’s kind of the only thing that he has time for.” said Chuuya.

Suddenly, and without warning, a horrible, familiar voice piped up.

“Bestiiiiiiieeeeeeeee!!!” sang Nikolai.

Chuuya seethed. There was no fucking way that fucking Nikolai was ‘randomly’ here too. This was getting fucking ridiculous.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Can’t you see I’m trying to have a nice time with my mother? What are you, a stalker?” growled Chuuya

“Oh, Chuuya, Chuuya, Chuuya, there’s no need to be so spicy! I merely wanted to hand you your wallet. I saw it fall out of your pocket!” Nikolai pulled it out with dramatic flair.

“Thanks.” said Chuuya with gritted teeth.

The bastard had probably stolen it for this precise reason.

“Don’t you have to go pick up your dress or something? Go do that and quit bothering us. “ Chuuya growled.

“Fine! I can tell when I’m not wanted!” Nikolai huffed, waving his hand dismissively, “See you later, Chuuya!”

With that, the clown finally, finally left him alone. Kouyou glared after him.

“That boy is tacky.” she said.

“You have no idea. He’s fucking impossible.” said Chuuya, “I’m just glad that he finally left.”

Chuuya opened his wallet, and looked through it. Good the fucker hadn’t stolen anything. Wait, what’s this? He pulled out a white piece of paper with a phone number written on it. Chuuya’s jaw dropped in shock. He pulled it out and showed his mom.

“Mom, that freaky little clown gave me his number! He’s engaged to be married! “ Chuuya spat in disgust.

“I did say that boy is tacky. I feel bad for whoever he’s marrying.” said Kouyou.

Their meal proceeded without incident. Kouyou paid the bill, and they left the restaurant. Chuuya stared out the window as they drove. When they got back to the hotel, it would be time to get ready for the night that would make or break him. Chuuya’s anxiety spiked. As much as he hated to admit it, he was nervous.

It would be fine.

It had to be.

If he failed, he would have no future- everything in his life hinged on the events of tonight. He couldn’t bear the thought of bringing his family shame once again. The idea of it soured his stomach.

Tonight will be perfect. I won’t let it be a disaster. Not again.

Notes:

Wooooooo Nikolai hell yes! He's such a diva.

Chapter 5: Dance the Night Away Pt. I

Summary:

It's the moment they've all been waiting for. It's time for Chuuya to redeem himself, and to finally face the man who caused the events of the cotillion.

Notes:

I knew that this event was gonna be long, so I split it up into 3 parts. It would have been wayyyyyyyy too long otherwise.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

  It was time. Chuuya looked himself over in the mirror, making sure that nothing was out of place. He didn’t want to brag, but he looked perfect. Chuuya did a little twirl, and grinned. He was sure to find a husband looking like this! Chuuya checked his pockets, making sure he had his phone and wallet. Good, now he could meet his parents. 

 

 Chuuya left his room, and knocked on his parent’s room. Kouyou opened the door and smiled at her son. 

 

 “Are you ready, Chuuya?” she asked. 

 

 “Yes, I am! I’m excited, mom. Tonight’s gonna be fun!” said Chuuya cheerfully. 

 

 Arthur, Hirostu, and Kouyou exited the room. They all went to the elevator and took it down to the first floor. All around them were well dressed young people- scurrying about trying to get to where they were going. Chuuya heard one girl scream- she’d gotten dirt all over her dress. Chuuya hid a smirk- that could never be him. He and his family arrived at the main ballroom. Arthur and Kouyou headed over to the seating area, and Chuuya and Hirotsu went behind the curtain with the other girlies. 

 

 A young man with blond hair went to each person in line ahead of Chuuya. He handed something to each debutante. He arrived to Chuuya and handed him a little card. 

 

 “Here’s your dance card! Please choose your partners well!” he said cheerfully. 

 

 Chuuya looked at the little card. Who knows, maybe his future husband’s name would be written on here. That was an exciting thought! Chuuya put it in his pocket. 

 

 “Hey Chuuya!” said a cheerful voice. 

 

 Chuuya turned, and grinned when he saw Sigma and his escort Shibusawa approach them. Sigma looked absolutely stunning. Sigma wore a sleeveless ball gown with flowy layers of chiffon. He had long white gloves, and wore a tiara made of amethyst and diamonds. He wore an amethyst tennis bracelet, and a diamond necklace. He looked like a princess from a fairytale. 

 

 “Hey Sigma! It’s good to see you!” said Chuuya, “You look amazing!” 

 

 “Oh, thank you, Chuuya! So do you!” said Sigma, blushing. 

 

 “Hirotsu, could you take a picture of us?” asked Chuuya, handing over his phone. 

 

 Sigma and Chuuya stood together, and smiled for the camera. Hirotsu took a few photos so Chuuya could choose the best one. Shibusawa took some pictures on Sigma’s phone for him. Chuuya and Sigma eagerly looked at the photos- they all looked great! 

 

 “Thank you!” they said in unison. 

 

 “Oh my god, bestieeeeeees!” sang that annoying voice. 

 

 Sigma and Chuuya turned to see Nikolai. His outfit sure was something. He wore a form fitting off the shoulder dress that had bows for the sleeves. He wore a diamond tiara, a set of dangly diamond earrings that were in the shape of bows. He wore a large diamond necklace with diamonds the shape of teardrops dripping down. He wore the long white gloves, but also wore the diamond engagement ring on the outside of the gloves. It was the tackiest thing Chuuya had seen all night. 

 

 “Oh my god, Sigma! How are you doing? I haven’t seen you in ages!” said Nikolai cheerfully. 

 

 Sigma’s face twisted into a scowl. 

 

 “You have a lot of nerve talking to me after what you did.” Sigma growled. 

 

 “Sigma! Let us not be imprisoned by the past! You can’t judge me based on petty high school drama!” Nikolai gasped dramatically. 

 

 “I’m only going to say this once; fuck all the way off, Nikolai. I fucking hate you.” Sigma spat. 

 

 “Don’t you need to get in line, Gogol? The ball is about to start.” said Shibusawa coldly. 

 

 “You’re right! I’ll see you all on the dance floor! Ta-ta!” said Nikolai with a grin. 

 

 Chuuya looked at Sigma in shock. He’d never seen his friend that angry before. 

 

 “What the hell was that about?” asked Chuuya. 

 

 “I’ll tell you about it later. Just thinking about it makes my blood pressure rise. I need to get in line-see you later Chuuya.” said Sigma. 

 

 With that, Sigma and Shibusawa took their place in line. Chuuya and Hirotsu looked at each other in confusion. 

 

 “I’ve never seen Sigma like that. Whatever Nikolai did must have been pretty bad.” said Chuuya. 

 

 “I have met Gogol’s father. He’s a sanctimonious son of a bitch- it’s no surprise that his son is the same way. Ah, it’s starting.” said Hirotsu. 

 

 “Ladies, Gentlemen, and everyone in between, welcome to the 83rd annual debutante ball! I’m proud to announce this year’s eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. We shall announce the ladies and then move on to the gentlemen! First off, we have the lovely Miss Jane Austen!” 

 

 Each name announced was met with applause. As the line moved, Chuuya’s heart began to pound. This was finally happening- his chance to prove himself in the eyes of everyone. Today was a restart- today he would redeem himself in the eyes of everyone. 

 

 “Chuuya Nakahara!” called the MC. 

 

 Hirotsu and Chuuya stepped out into the spotlight. He heard the applause all around him. He looked over to where his parents were standing. He noticed his mom was smiling with tears in her eyes. His father smiled proudly as Chuuya stepped onto the side with the other girlies. Chuuya’s heart thudded in his chest- good, he hadn’t been met with boos. He’d had a lot of nightmares of being booed out of the event. Good thing it was just his anxiety! 

 

 Chuuya and Hirotsu made their way to their spot in line. Chuuya stood up straight, with his head held high. He glanced over at Sigma, who looked ethereal under this lightning. He was unfairly pretty. Nikolai glimmered in the light, almost blindingly. 

 

 Gin Akutagawa looked lovely. She was wearing a form fitting dress with thin straps. The dress had a train, simple yet elegant. She wore a diamond collier necklace that had three square shaped diamonds that shined in the light as she moved. She looked a lot like her brother, but significantly cuter. 

 

 Finally, the last debutante was announced. Once she got in line, the MC began announcing the boys. 

 

 “Ryuunosuke Akutagawa.” he said. 

 

 Chuuya looked over to see Gin’s brother walk out with his head held high. He always looked like he was looking down his nose at you. He walked like a prince, standing next to a huge man with long, dark hair. He made intense eye contact with Chuuya, making him feel unnerved. What the hell? What did Chuuya do to him? 

 

 “Arthur Clark” 

 

 Chuuya began to zone out. Ugh, this was gonna take forever. Chuuya was glad that he was wearing flats right now. Standing around on heels was no fun; it made his feet hurt. 

 

“Osamu Dazai.” 

 

 Chuuya’s heart stopped. Ice cold rage began coursing through his veins. The rage was so great, it made him feel dizzy. The feeling of pins and needles exploded on the soles of his feet, and his legs started shaking. Chuuya looked over at Hirotsu, whose face was pale. 

 

 “What is he doing here?” Chuuya hissed, heart thumping. 

 

 “When we found out that he was going to be here, it was too late to back out. Trust me, we didn’t want this either.” whispered Hirotsu. 

 

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?” whispered Chuuya. 

 

 “We didn’t want you to freak out.” Hirotsu replied. 

 

 “Well, a warning would have been nice.” Chuuya grumbled. 

 

  “I’m sorry, Chuuya.” he whispered. 

 

 Chuuya looked over at Dazai, who was grinning widely. He was wearing a grey suit with intricate stitching. He wore a silver tie, and it looked like he was wearing bandages beneath it. His escort was a tired-looking redhead that looked like he could be 25-30. Chuuya would be tired too if he had to deal with Dazai all day. 

 

 Oh, this was why everyone had harassed him about the cotillion. That bastard Dazai had provoked him, leading to a huge fight that resulted in thousands of dollars of damages. Here he was, sauntering around without a care in the world. Hate seethed through every pore in his body. Dazai turned his head, and his face lit up. He waved cheerfully at Chuuya. 

 

 “Chuuya, please calm down. You’re turning red.” said Hirotsu. 

 

 “Calm down? I’m the picture of calm. I’ve never been more calm in my life.” Chuuya hissed through gritted teeth 

 

 He was so angry he couldn’t see straight. He couldn’t hear the other boys called, all he could focus on was how unfair this was. How could they expect him to remain calm when that asshole was here! He already ruined Chuuya’s cotillion, and now he was going to ruin the debutante ball. Tears of frustration pricked at the corner of his eyes

 

 “It’s going to be alright, Chuuya,” said Hirotsu. 

 

 “Fyodor Dostoyevsky.” said the MC. 

 

 Chuuya gazed upon one of the most devastatingly handsome men he’d ever seen. He had long raven black hair, with deep violet eyes one could get lost in. He was the son of Russian oligarchs- money spanning back to before the Russian revolution. Apparently they’d bent the knee to the communists. He had sold several technological patents, making him one of the youngest billionaires in the world. 

 

 Fyodor wore a long black cloak with gold buttons, along with black pants. He held himself like royalty, like he was above them all. In his eyes, they all must have seemed like peasants. Chuuya didn’t recognize the tall, thin man that escorted him- it was probably another Russian. When Fyodor entered a room, he commanded attention. He was known for being very intense- Chuuya would hate to be on his bad side. He noticed Fyodor was looking at him, and Chuuya’s blood chilled when Fyodor smiled at him. It was a cold smile- a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Chuuya was transfixed by the cruel grin of a predator. It unnerved him deeply. 

 

  Why is he looking at me like that? Chuuya wondered. 

 

 Chuuya zoned out for the rest of the boys, trying to get his heart to stop pounding. No wonder Akutagawa had looked at him like that; he must have been attempting to warn him. Chuuya looked over to his mom, who was staring at him intensely. 

 

  Do not embarrass us again. Said her expression. 

 

 Chuuya took a deep breath, and squashed as much rage as he could beneath his feet. It was one night- he could be nice for one fucking night. Yeah, after tonight he would never have to see that shitty mackerel fuck ever again. What was one night in the grand scheme of things? Right, Chuuya could do this! He could do this! 

 

 After Kurt Vonnegut was called, the MC cleared his throat. 

 

 “We will now begin the shoe changing ceremony,” he said. 

 

 The MC began calling names again. Chuuya looked over to Dazai, who was whispering something to his escort. Fyodor meanwhile was still staring at Chuuya, sending cold shivers down his spine. He really didn’t like how Fyodor looked at him like he was a piece of meat. Chuuya knew one thing; Fyodor couldn’t be trusted. 

 

 Chuuya was called to the center of the ballroom. Hirotsu held his shoe bag, and knelt down. He opened the bag, revealing a pair of white satin pumps. They were about three inch heels, with closed toes. Hirotsu carefully removed the flats and replaced them with the pumps. Chuuya enjoyed the feeling of being a little taller. Chuuya felt proud- he was finally grown up in the eyes of everyone. Hirotsu smiled at him, and stood back up. 

 

 Chuuya walked with Hirotsu back to the line, and he waited for the other girlies to get their shoes changed. It was clear that some of them hadn’t bothered to break their shoes in. They hobbled around like baby giraffes. He stifled a smirk- at least he looked poised compared to them. 

 A while later, after everyone had finished the shoe change, it was time for the first dance. The first dance was done with the debutantes and their escort. From there, the debs would be free to dance with whomever they pleased. The band started up, and the dance had begun. 

 

 Hirotsu had been a champion ballroom dancer when he was younger, and he still had it. Chuuya was grateful to have been paired with someone who actually knew what he was doing. He glanced over at Akutagawa, who was having a rough time with his escort. The tall man’s movements were stiff and awkward, and Akutagawa wore a scowl on his face. 

 

 The song ended, and Hirotsu and Chuuya bowed to each other. 

 

 “Thank you, Hirotsu.” said Chuuya cheerfully. 

 

 “Of course! I will be over with your parents if you need me. Have fun, and please don’t make a scene.” said Hirotsu. 

 

 “I promise.” Chuuya grumbled. 

 

 With that, Hirotsu went over to where Kouyou and Arthur were standing. Chuuya scanned the crowd, wondering where Sigma was. He needed to talk to someone about the fact that Dazai was there. He needed to blow off some steam. 

 

 Before he could move, however, he saw that Fyodor was approaching him. Chuuya froze, trapped in the hungry stare of a serpent. Chuuya’s blood ran cold as Fyodor smiled a fake smile. 

 

 “May I have this dance?” he asked.

 

  His voice was ethereal. His accent was Russian, but spoke with precision and grace.  Fyodor was even more beautiful up close. His skin was unblemished, and seemed to have an unearthly glow. His eyes were violet, bordering on red. They glittered in the low lighting of the ballroom. Chuuya felt helpless against this monster’s gaze.

 

 “Sorry, Chuuya’s dance card is full!” said a cheerful voice. 

 

 Chuuya yelped as Dazai put his arm around his waist. 

 

 “Wh-what the hell? No it’s not-” 

 

 Chuuya pulled out the dance card- and to his shock and horror- saw that the entire dance card was filled with the name “Osamu Dazai.” 

 

 “How the hell did you do this?” said Chuuya, mouth agape. 

 

 “Sorry Fyodor! The early bird gets the worm!” said Dazai gleefully, “Besides, isn’t it tacky to be dancing with someone who’s not your fiance?” 

 

 “It’s just one dance, Dazai. I hope you two have fun.” said Fyodor. 

 

 With that, Dazai pulled Chuuya onto the dance floor. Chuuya hated to admit it, but Dazai was a good dancer. 

 

 “What the hell was that all about? How did you do that with my dance card? I want answers, Dazai!” Chuuya hissed. 

 

 “What do you mean, chibi? You saw me fill out the dance card on that table over there. My poor chibi seems to be developing memory loss!” said Dazai with a shit eating grin on his face. 

 

 “You’re impossible, you fucking mackerel!” Chuuya grumbled.  

 

 “That’s not very nice, chibi! I just saved you from the devil himself!” said Dazai, “You should be thanking me!” 

 

 “Who, Fyodor? Yeah, that guy is really creepy. I don’t trust him.” said Chuuya. 

 

 “I’m glad to hear you say that. That’s the first smart thing you’ve said all night!” said Dazai. 

 

 “SHUT-” 

 

 Chuuya felt several pairs of eyes piercing him. He glanced over to where he saw Hirotsu, his parents, Mori, and other people watching the two of them. Chuuya swallowed his rage, and continued dancing with Dazai. He could do it. He could be nice for one fucking night. 

 

 “Aw, chibi you’re just so cute when you’re all red like that.” said Dazai. 

 

 Chuuya didn’t say anything, he just focused on the movements. He let Dazai lead, allowing him to move him to and fro to the beat of the music. Chuuya was aware of his hands on his body, a firm but kind hand leading him through the dance. He tried to not think about how nice it felt. He tried to not notice how nice Dazai looked. Chuuya noticed how Dazai’s sapphire cufflinks glittered as he spun him around. Chuuya’s breath caught as Dazai dipped him down backwards. The song ended, and the two made eye contact. Dazai grinned widely, and pulled him back on his feet. 

 

 “See, chibi? That wasn’t so bad, now was it?” teased Dazai. 

 

 Chuuya glared up at Dazai. 

 

 “I guess you’re a good dancer.” said Chuuya stiffly. 

 

 “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me! Before our next dance, what do you say we go get some refreshments?” asked Dazai. 

 

 “Fine.” said Chuuya 

 

  They walked over to the refreshment table. There were several charcuterie boards with all kinds of cheese and meats. There were flax seed crackers as well as some pickled grapes. There were also veggie platters and caviar. There was a cooler that had water with lemons in it, a cooler with apple juice, and there was a bar off to the side for the adults. 

 

 “Hey Chuuya, do you want to get some real drinks?” asked Dazai mischievously.

 

  “I don’t know if you know this, but we’re not old enough, dumbass.” groaned Chuuya.  

 

  “I’ll go ask Odasaku! Give me a minute!” said Dazai. 

 

 “No wait-” said Chuuya. 

 

 Chuuya sighed as Dazai scurried off to go speak to the redhead. Why was Dazai like this? A realization dawned over him. 

 

  I’m stuck with this fucking idiot all night Chuuya clenched his teeth. 

 

 Chuuya watched as Odasaku shook his head no, and Dazai looked defeated. He slinked back over to him. 

 

 “I’m sorry, Chuuya, Odasaku said he wouldn’t sneak us alcohol,” said Dazai. 

 

 “I could have guessed that.” said Chuuya, rolling his eyes, “He seems like a responsible adult.”

 

 “That’s so mean, Chuuya.” Dazai whined. 

 

   Chuuya looked at Dazai in annoyance. He noticed that he was wearing gold cufflinks with large sapphires on them. His suit fit him well; he would have to get the number of his tailor. His skin was clear, and when he smiled he had craters for dimples. If Chuuya didn’t hate him so much, he would think that they were cute. Chuuya saw the lighting hit Dazai’s eyes in a way that made them look like sunlight through a glass of whiskey. Chuuya then noticed the bandages under Dazai’s sleeves- what the hell?

 “What’s up with the bandages? Are you okay?” asked Chuuya. 

 

 “Aw, it’s a fashion statement! What, is chibi worried about me?” Dazai teased. 

 

 “You wish!” Chuuya snapped. 

 

 The two of them watched everyone dance. It looked like Gin was dancing with a blonde woman wearing a smart pantsuit. Gin was grinning as they glided over the dance floor. 

 

 “Look over there! It looks like my brother asked Atsushi to dance!” said Dazai gleefully. 

 

 Chuuya looked over to see Akutagawa spin Atsushi around, and then pull him back to him. Atsushi’s face was flushed pink, and he was wearing a big grin on his face. Good for them. 

 

 “I wonder if he used my little trick.” said Dazai with a sly smile. 

 

  “What, the card trick? You’re ridiculous.” said Chuuya. 

 

 “Aw, I’m just trying to help my little brother!” Dazai teased, “I gave my brother a chameleon charm to give to Atsushi. I know he likes those little creatures a lot! I bet Atsushi swooned when he gave it to him!” 

 

 “You’re not a good older brother.” said Chuuya. 

 

 “How do you know that? You haven’t seen me in years!” said Dazai dramatically. 

 

 “You’re still the same old mackerel I knew in middle school.” Chuuya retorted. 

 

 The song ended, and Gin and the blonde walked over to where Chuuya and Dazai were standing. 

 

 “Hey guys! Are you having fun?” asked Gin. 

 

 “The most fun! How’s it going, Higuchi? It’s been a while.” said Dazai. 

 

 “I-it’s been nice, Dazai. Have you seen your dad? I need to talk to him real quick.” said Higuchi. 

 

 “Yeah, he’s over there.” he said, pointing at Mori. 

 

 Chuuya had a sour feeling in his stomach when he saw Mori talking to his parents and Hirotsu. What could that man possibly want with them? 

 

 Higuchi scampered over to where Mori was standing, and Chuuya saw her struggling to get her words out. She must be asking Mori to court Gin! How fun. 

 

 “Say, do you two want to get some real drinks with us? I stole a bottle of my dad’s vodka just for today!” said Gin mischievously. 

 

 “Gin, you little criminal! As your older brother, I demand that you let us drink with you!” said Dazai, pretending to be upset. 

 

 “Alright, sounds like fun.” said Chuuya stiffly. 

 

 “Hooray! It’ll be fun!” said Gin, grinning, “Hit us up when you’re ready.” 

 

“Awesome, thanks Gin!” Dazai beamed. 

 

 Akutagawa and Atsushi walked over to their little group. Akutagawa’s face betrayed nothing, while Atsushi looked elated.  

 

 “Hi Atsushi! How are you doing?” asked Dazai. 

 

 “G-good. Somehow my dance card was filled. It’s just Akutagawa’s name!” he said. 

 

 Chuuya glared at Dazai.

 

“I wonder how that could have happened,” he said pointedly. 

 

“No idea!” said Dazai cheerfully. 

 

Akutagawa continued to have an impassive face. 

 

 “Weretiger, would you like to sample some cheese with me?” he asked. 

 

 Atsushi blushed, ‘Yeah, I would.”

 

 “Good, come with me.” he said. 

 

 “See you!” said Atsushi, being dragged by his arm towards the charcuterie spreads. 

 

 Higuchi scurried back over to them, her face alight in joy. 

 

 “Gin! Guess what, Mori gave me permission to court you!” she said excitedly. 

 

 Gin squealed in joy. The girls held each other in their arms, bouncing together excitedly. It was the cutest thing Chuuya had seen all night. 

 

 “Hooray, congratulations Gucchi! I’m so happy for you!” said Dazai. 

 

 “We need to go tell Ryuu! Come on, Gucci!” said Gin. 

 

 Gin dragged Higuchi in a similar manner to her brother over to them. Akutagawa flashed a rare smile while Atsushi said his congratulations. 

 

 “Aww, how cute is that? My little sister is going to get courted! Isn’t that exciting, Chuuya?” said Dazai. 

 

 “I’m very happy for her. I hope it goes well, “ said Chuuya. 

 

Chuuya spied the charcuterie boards. They had all kinds of cheese- a 4 year cheddar, a roquefort, brie, irish cheese, and many others. They all looked really good. 

 

 “Want to have some cheese?” asked Chuuya. 

 

 “Absolutely!” said Dazai. 

 

 Chuuya looked over one of the cheese spreads. He took a piece of the 4 year cheddar, and popped it in his mouth. It was flavorful and smooth. Chuuya closed his eyes in enjoyment. 

 

 “Oh, you like cheese?” asked Dazai. 

 

 “I love cheese.” said Chuuya, taking another piece of 4 year cheddar. 

 

 Dazai picked up a piece of the irish cheddar cheese. 

 

 “Open your mouth.” said Dazai. 

 

 Chuuya didn’t know what came over him, but he obeyed. He opened his mouth and allowed Dazai to feed him the cheese. It was light and creamy. Chuuya looked into Dazai’s eyes, and his heart skipped a beat at the way that Dazai’s eyes were shining. Dazai had nice hands, soft, yet strong. 

 

 “You’re really beautiful, Chuuya,” said Dazai.

 

 “I-sh-shut up.” said Chuuya. 

 

 Dazai wandered over to another cheese board, looking it over. Chuuya froze when he heard a familiar accented voice. 

 

 “Dazai, you are so selfish. What is the problem with one dance? I promise I will not harm your beautiful friend.” said Fyodor. 

 

 Dazai whirled around, and the expression on his face made Chuuya’s blood run cold. 

 

 “I don’t think so! Come on, Chuuya, let’s dance!” said Dazai. 

 

 Dazai grabbed Chuuya’s hand, and dragged him onto the dance floor. Dazai led the two of them through the movements with grace. Chuuya felt the warmth of his body on his own, and his heart began to flutter. 

 

 “Dazai, what the hell is that all about? I can tell that you and Fyodor have beef.” said Chuuya. 

 

 “Chuuya, I promise I’ll tell you about it later. Right now, I want to have a good night. I want to get it right this time.” said Dazai gently. 

 

 Chuuya felt his face turning red, but not from rage this time. 

 

 “Alright,” said Chuuya. 

 

 The two of them move in perfect synchronicity. It’s almost as though they can predict the other’s movements. Chuuya shivered at the feeling of Dazai’s arms around him, feeling goosebumps erupt on his skin. Dazai’s deft, strong hands guided Chuuya through the movements, the close proximity melding them into one. Chuuya could smell Dazai’s cologne, a scent of pine and mint. It made Chuuya feel his heart flutter in his chest. 

 

  Dazai has really grown into himself since middle school. He’s gotten a lot prettier. Thought Chuuya. 

 

 Chuuya’s face deadpanned. 

 

  What am I thinking? I think he’s a fucking mackerel. 

 

  The song ended and Chuuya and Dazai bowed to each other. Dazai was grinning at Chuuya. 

 

 “What’s wrong, chibi? You seem lost in thought.” said Dazai. 

 

 “I’m thinking about how stupid your face looks, mackerel.” said Chuuya. 

 

 “Aww, Chuuya, you just can’t get me out of your head, can you?” Dazai teased. 

 

 “Hey everyone! We have an announcement to make!” said Nikolai over the p.a.

 

  Everyone stopped what they were doing to look over to where Nikolai was standing. He glittered under the spotlight. 

 

 “I am very pleased to announce that Fyodor Dostoyevsky and I are going to be married! We’re to be wed in holy matrimony on May 19th! I do hope everyone can make it!” he said with glee. 

 

 The room was silent. Chuuya looked around to see the reactions of the people around him. The shock, horror, and angered faces painted the picture of a huge scandal. How dare they announce this at the debutante ball- a night that’s supposed to be about everyone there? The audacity of it all. Chuuya spied Fyodor standing behind Nikolai, a satisfied smirk on his face. The bastard looked like he was enjoying himself. 

 

 “Come on, Chuuya.” said Dazai, dragging him off to the side. 

 

 “How tacky can someone be? There isn’t a more inappropriate time to announce such a thing? Why couldn’t they announce it another day on social media like everyone else?” said Chuuya angrily. 

 

 “That’s Fedya and Nickolai for you. They’re the tackiest bitches in the entire world.” said Dazai. 

 

 They walked over to where Mori, Hirotsu, and Chuuya’s parents were standing. Mori looked amused, while Kouyou had an expression of fury on her face. Hirotsu’s face was unreadable, and Arthur looked nervous, like he didn’t know what to think. 

 

 “Mom, can you believe those two? I can’t believe that they would do something like this!” said Chuuya. 

 

 “I know, Chuuya. I’ve never seen a more brazen display.” said Kouyou. 

 

  “Such a lack of decorum.” agreed Hirotsu. 

 

 “Anyway, Mr. Rimbaud, Mrs. Nakahara, I wanted to ask your permission to court Chuuya!” said Dazai happily. 

 

 Chuuya turned to Dazai, mouth agape. 

 

 “What? You had your chance at the cotillion you-”

 

 “I think that’s a splendid idea! How wonderful would it be to unite our families!” said Mori smoothly. 

 

 Arthur looked between his wife, his son, and the glowering gaze of Mori. He gulped nervously. It didn’t really seem like he had a choice. 

 

 “Very well, Dazai. You have my permission.” he said. 

 

 “ What? Dad, you can’t be serious! How could you do this to me?” shouted Chuuya. 

 

 “Hooray! Come on, Chuuya! Let’s go tell the others!” said Dazai, dragging Chuuya away. 

 

 “You never asked me If I wanted to be courted you fucking mackerel! How dare you do this without my permission!” spluttered Chuuya. 

 

 “Aw, come on, Chuuya! It’ll be fun, just you and me!” said Dazai. 

 

 “Let’s go find Gin. I need that fucking drink.” said Chuuya. 

 

 “You and I both. I think I see her over there!” said Dazai, pointing. 

 

 Dazai dragged Chuuya over to where his siblings, their dates, and Sigma were standing. They were all having a lively conversation. Sigma wore a grim expression on his face, while Aku and Gin’s faces were red with rage. Atsushi and Higuchi looked very uncomfortable. 

 

 “Hey guys! Guess what, I got Rimbaud’s permission to court Chuuya! Isn’t that great?” said Dazai. 

 

 The group stopped their conversation to look over at Chuuya and Dazai. Gin’s face lit up, and she squealed. 

 

 “Oh my god, you did it! I’m so happy for you!” 

 

 “Hm. It’s about time.” said Aku. 

 

 “I’m happy for you, Dazai!” said Sigma. 

 

 “Did Sigma tell you he got a girl’s number?” asked Gin

 

 “Sigma! I didn’t know that you were such a lady killer! Who’s the lucky lady?” asked Dazai teasingly. 

 

 “Her name is Sandy. She’s really nice.” said Sigma, blushing. 

 

 “Anyway, Gin, I think I’m ready for that drink,” said Dazai. 

 

 “Sounds good to me! I’ve had enough tonight.” said Gin. 

 

 “You guys go on ahead. I don’t drink, and I want to go talk to Sandy.” said Sigma. 

 

 “Sounds good, Sigma. Have fun, and don’t get her pregnant!” said Dazai. 

 

 “I-I wasn’t planning on it!” said Sigma, flustered. 

 

 With that, the group of Dazai, Chuuya, Gin, Higuchi, Akutagawa, and Atsushi left the ballroom. 

 

 “What a crazy night.” said Atsushi. 

 

 “I know, who could have guessed those two would do something like this? Talk about embarrassing.” said Higuchi. 

 

 “You have to have pretty low self-worth to feel the need to shit on everyone’s night like that. What’s Gogol’s problem?” asked Chuuya. 

 

 “His problem is his existence. He’s the most pathetic man I have ever met.” said Akutagawa. 

 

 “They’re both awful. I prefer Fyodor because he’s quiet, but that’s like choosing between a dead rat and a dead possum.” said Gin. 

 

 “Cheer up, guys! We’re gonna have way more fun together than in that stuffy party. Let’s get upstairs and drink what Gin so kindly brought us!” said Dazai cheerfully. 

 

 They took the elevator up to their floor, and they all went into Gin’s room. They shut the door, and Gin grinned. She scurried over to her suitcase and opened it. Wrapped in a bundle of clothes was a large bottle of Grey Goose vodka. Some of it was already missing.

 

 Chuuya sat down on her bed, and Dazai sat next to her. Gin and Higuchi also sat on the bed. Atsushi was sitting on the desk with Akutagawa sitting on the desk chair. Gin popped the bottle open. She took a big swig, and passed the bottle to her brother, who also took a swig. The group passed the bottle around, each taking decent sized swigs.

 

 Chuuya enjoyed the feeling of the smooth, fiery liquid going down his throat. It pooled in his stomach and warmed him from the inside. He felt his brain become warm, and he smiled at the feeling. Higuchi put her arm around Gin, and Gin shifted herself closer to her. 

 

 “Make sure to treat my sister well, Gucci.” said Akutagawa. 

 

 “I promise that I’ll make Gin the happiest woman in the world.” Higuchi vowed. 

 

 “Good, cause if you do I will kill you.” said Akutagawa. 

 

 “H-haha, you’re funny Aku.” said Higuchi nervously. 

 

 “Ryuu, don’t go scaring her like that!” Dazai chastised. 

 

 Akutagawa said nothing, but took another swig of the vodka. Maybe Chuuya was imagining it, but he thought he saw Akutagawa’s hand lingering over Atsushi’s. Chuuya took another swig, passing it to Dazai. Dazai was giggling to himself. 

 

 “It’s been a while since I’ve had vodka,” said Dazai. He looked over at Chuuya. 

 

 “Chuuuuyyyyaaaa, you’re so prettyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.” he sang, draping his arms over Chuuya. 

 

 “Hey, get off me, asshole!” Chuuya protested. 

 

 “Chiiiiiibiiiii you’re being meeeaaaan again. Is that any way to talk to the man that’s courting you?” said Dazai. 

 

 “You didn’t even ask me if I wanted to be courted by you!” said Chuuya, aghast. 

 

 Chuuya’s stomach twisted. He should have eaten more than a few pieces of cheese earlier. Unfortunately, Chuuya was a lightweight, and booze had a way of gobsmacking him when he least expected it. Chuuya began swaying from where he sat on the bed. 

 

 Chuuya looked over at Atsushi, who was flushed pink from the drink. He was giggling and talking to Akutagawa about insects. He was getting really animated and excited about it. Akutagawa listened patiently, and asked a few questions. Chuuya thought it was very cute. 

 

 “I don’t feel so good. I’m gonna go to bed.” said Chuuya. 

 

 “Let me help you get to your room. My poor little slug could fall over and die!” gasped Dazai. 

 

 “I can do it-” Chuuya yelped as he fell off the bed. 

 

 “See, what did I tell you? Ryuu, Gin, please be good while I get Chuuya to his room.” said Dazai. 

 

 “Okay, please be safe,” said Gin. 

 

 “Have a good night!” said Higuchi

 

 His brother merely grunted. Chuuya leaned on Dazai’s shoulder, and he helped him leave the room. They went to the elevator, and went to Chuuya’s floor. Dazai helped Chuuya scan his card, and Dazai put Chuuya on his bed. Chuuya was quiet for a minute. 

 

 “Thank you for keeping that creep away from me. I don’t like him.” said Chuuya. 

 

 “Of course. I won’t let him get his grimy hands on you. You’re too perfect- he would try to break you.” said Dazai, his tone serious. 

 

 Dazai cupped Chuuya’s head in his hands. He gazed deeply into Chuuya’s sapphire eyes, a small smile forming on his plush lips. He ran a thumb over Chuuya’s cheekbone, then planted a kiss directly in the middle of his forehead. Chuuya’s heart leapt at it. Dazai pulled away, and smiled at him. 

 “Get some sleep, chibi. I’ll text you tomorrow.” said Dazai, winking

 

 “But I don’t have your number!” Chuuya protested. 

 

 “Check your phone,” said Dazai smugly. 

 

 Chuuya pulled his phone out of his pocket, and somehow managed to punch in his passcode. Chuuya was shocked to see Dazai’s phone number there, the contact name being

  Mackerel 💙

 

  “When the hell? You know what, forget it.” Chuuya groaned. 

 

 Dazai grinned widely, “Goodnight Chuuuya.”

 

 “Wait,” said Chuuya. 

 

 “What’s up?” asked Dazai. 

 

 “Can I have another kiss?” asked Chuuya. 

 

 “Why Chuuya, I am a gentleman! I won’t kiss you properly until we’ve had our first date!” said Dazai, ruffling Chuuya’s hair. 

 

 “...fine, you mackerel.” Chuuya grumbled. 

 

 With that, Dazai grinned widely and left the room, leaving Chuuya to his thoughts. The ceiling was spinning, and Chuuya shut his eyes, groaning. 

 

I’m not charmed. He hasn’t charmed me. I didn’t just ask for another kiss. Chuuya thought, trying to convince himself. As he tried to gaslight himself, he fell into a deep slumber. 

 

*****

 

 Dazai skipped to the elevator, and then to his room. Dazai felt giddy and elated. He couldn’t believe that Rimbaud had said yes to him courting Chuuya. He felt like a kid on Christmas. Dazai got into his room, and changed into his pajamas. Finally, he could be comfortable. Dazai laid on his bed, and began to think. His mood soured a little. 

 

 How dare Fyodor ask Chuuya to dance? Moreover, how dare he bother them after he’d been told to fuck off? He should consider himself lucky that Dazai was able to control his emotions and not start a fight with him. If there was one thing Fyodor had, it was audacity. Dazai’s eyes narrowed. 

 

  Just what are you planning, Fedya? 

 

 All Dazai knew was one thing. He would protect Chuuya from him at all costs. Chuuya was one of the only bright spots in his bleak life, and he would rather die than lose him to that rat. 

 

I’ll protect you, Chuuya. I promise. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes:

I was finally able to make the Gravity Falls reference that gave me the inspiration for this fic! Fyodor is such a creep, huh? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this! It takes a lot of brainpower to write this fic, so thank you for the patience! Y'all are great!